Nick McCarthy reports:
Two teenage Birmingham brothers have been quizzed over a £1million credit card fraud that sparked co-ordinated raids in England, Finland, Spain and Canada.
West Midlands Police swooped on a house in Great Barr and arrested an 18-year-old man on suspicion of fraud and cybercrime offences.
Officers also spoke to the teenager’s 15-year-old brother at the same address and bailed the 18-year-old until January.
A 16-year-old boy was also identified from an address in Coventry and will be interviewed by officers as part of on-going investigations.
There was also simultaneous raids yesterday (Tuesday) in Finland, Spain and Canada.
Read more on Birmingham Mail.
The West Midlands Police issued the following statement:
Three teenagers – including one aged just 15 – are to be investigated on suspicion of being part of a cross-continental £1-million card fraud gang.
West Midlands Organised Crime Unit (ROCU) swooped on homes in Great Barr and Cheylesmore yesterday (Nov 15) as simultaneous raids were carried out in Finland, Spain and Canada.
An 18-year-old man was arrested from the Birmingham address on suspicion of fraud and cybercrime offences – he has been bailed till a date in January – while a 15-year-old male was also spoken to by officers.
And a 16-year-old male was identified from the Coventry address as potentially being involved in the racket. He was not arrested but will be interviewed by officers as part of on-going investigations.
Detective Inspector Rob Harris from ROCU, said: “This is a wide-reaching investigation – one that was launched back in January this year – involving Europol, authorities on the continent, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
“We’ve played our part by executing warrants at addresses in the West Midlands suspected of being linked to the card scam investigation and cybercrime offences that’s seen websites compromised and accounts taken over.
“Computer equipment and other digital devices have been seized from the properties and these will be forensically examined.”
The investigation aims to dismantle an organised crime group believed to have harvested details from more than 6,000 credit cards which have been used to attack some 170 e-merchants.
It’s believed the stolen card details have been used to carry out transactions topping £1-million before being sold on to other crime networks.
In total, 15 people were arrested as part of the cross-continental day of action.