Arrest in suspected £3.8m offshore tax fraud

A woman has been arrested in Cheshire as part of a HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) joint investigation with the Dutch authorities into a suspected £3.8m million tax fraud involving offshore bank accounts.

Yesterday, 28 officers from HMRC searched one residential and one business address in Manchester and Macclesfield, while properties in the Netherlands and Austria were also raided. Cash, computers, business and personal records were seized in the UK and in the Netherlands assets including property, luxury vehicles and bank accounts were seized.

Paul Maybury, Assistant Director, Fraud Investigation Service, HMRC, said:

"We are working closely with our partners in the Netherlands and Austria to tackle suspected tax evasion.

“The vast majority of taxpayers pay the tax they owe, but where we suspect people aren’t paying what’s due, we will use our full range of powers to ensure that nobody is beyond our reach. People cannot hide money offshore thanks to this international co-operation.

“Businesses that commit tax fraud are not just stealing from the public purse, but also have an unfair advantage over honest businesses who pay the right taxes. If anyone has information about tax fraud, please contact the new HMRC Fraud Hotline on 0800 788 887.”

Two addresses were searched in the UK as simultaneous searches took place at two residential properties in the Netherlands and one residential address in Austria. Those arrested have been interviewed and released pending further enquiries.

Notes for editors

1.A woman, aged 46, from Macclesfield, Cheshire was arrested

2.Anyone with information regarding fraud is encouraged to contact the Fraud Hotline on 0800 788 887 or report it online via: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/reportingfraud/online.htm

3.Follow HMRC’s Press Office on Twitter @hmrcpressoffice

4.HMRC’s Flickr channel www.flickr.com/hmrcgovuk