Arrest made at Long Lee as part of illegal money lending op

Members of the England Illegal Money Lending Team, with officers from West Yorkshire Police, executed a warrant at an address in Long Lee yesterday (July 3).

A 30-year-old woman was taken into custody for questioning, and officers seized an electronic device. The woman has since been released on bail, pending further enquiries.

Tony Quigley, head of the England Illegal Money Lending Team, says: "We work with our partners to take action against those who blight our communities by acting as illegal money lenders and preying on the most vulnerable.

"If you have been offered a loan, 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 by an illegal lender.

"If you, or anyone you know, has experienced any of these things then contact our team in complete confidence."

According to the Centre for Social Justice, there are up to 1.08 million people in debt to loan sharks in England.

Since the England Illegal Money Lending Team was launched 20 years ago, it has supported over 31,700 people and written off more than £91.3 million worth of illegal debt, and secured over 420 prosecutions for illegal money lending – leading to a total of more than 600 years in jail.

Anyone affected by illegal money lending can call the Stop Loan Sharks 24/7 confidential helpline on 0300 555 2222 or access support online at stoploansharks.co.uk. A Live Chat facility is available on the website weekdays, between 9am and 5pm.