Loan shark suspect arrested in money lending raid

A man has been arrested on suspicion of illegal money lending, following raids in Birmingham.

The England Illegal Money Lending Team (IMLT) worked with West Midlands Police to execute warrants at two addresses in the Alum Rock and Stechford areas of the city on Thursday.

A 38-year-old man was arrested during the Stechford raid and officers have seized cash and a mobile phone.

He was taken into custody to be questioned by IMLT investigators and later bailed pending further inquiries.

The national organisation hosted by Birmingham City Council works in partnership with trading standards in the city to investigate and prosecute illegal money lenders.

IMLT head Dave Benbow said illegal money lending would "not be tolerated in England".

It worked with partners across the country to take action against "those who blight our communities in this way", he added.

"If you have been offered a loan, but then been threatened when you couldn't pay, had your bank card taken from you as security or if what you owe keeps growing even though you are making payments, then you may well have been targeted."

He urged anyone affected to contact the IMLT team.

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