Police raids in Glasgow to tackle £4.6m benefit fraud

An “industrial scale'' £4.6 million benefit fraud has been targeted by a police operation in Glasgow.

Officers have been working with the Department for Work and Pensions and Home Office Immigration Enforcement in an almost year-long investigation to trace an organised crime gang suspected of defrauding the benefits system of about £4.6 million.

A number of properties in the Govanhill area of Glasgow were raided on Wednesday, with individuals who have carried out fraudulent transactions also being targeted.

Assistant Chief Constable Gillian MacDonald said: “Our action today is the culmination of an almost year-long investigation which has been targeting organised benefit fraud on an almost industrial scale.

“The first phase under way is targeting the organised crime group who have orchestrated the benefit fraud and phase two is targeting those individuals who are helping facilitate the fraud by carrying out the fraudulent transactions.''

Police Scotland said the action is part of an ongoing investigation into a large-scale organised attack on the UK's benefit systems and “associated criminality''.

A force spokesman added: “Communities play a huge part in the fight against crime in their local areas.

“Govanhill has strong community links and we work closely with these groups, we listen to what they tell us and we take action to tackle criminality in the area.'