Five held by police in loan shark op

Five people were arrested today following raids in Telford in connection with a suspected loan shark operation in the town.

Three men and two women are in custody at Shrewsbury Police Station following raids on a number of addresses in north Telford, including in Wellington and Donnington.

The raids happened at 8am and involved officers from across the West Mercia force area and trading standards officers.

In total 11 warrants were executed across the borough and in neighbouring parts of Shropshire. Investigative work was likely to continue at some of the addresses for the rest of the day.

Superintendent James Tozer, operations commander, said the arrests were the result of Operation Shade, a joint operation involving a number of agencies.

He said: "West Mercia Police will not tolerate the type of criminal activity that this investigation appears to be revealing and I'd personally like to reassure local people that we will be dealing robustly with the individuals involved, and their associates."

Jacqui Kennedy, of the Telford & Wrekin Illegal Money Lending Team, said: "Illegal money lenders prey on some of the most vulnerable members of society, intimidating and controlling them and trapping them in a spiral of debt.

"Removing loan sharks from communities not only helps their victims but can also help reduce wider criminality."