Man and woman arrested after warrants executed In Heywood and Beswick

Man and woman arrested after warrants executed by Greater Manchester Police and the National Illegal Money Lending Team

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A man and a woman have been arrested after warrants were executed in Heywood and Beswick this morning (Wednesday 20 May 2015) by Greater Manchester Police and the National Illegal Money Lending Team (IMLT).

Officers from GMP and IMLT executed the warrants as part of the crackdown on suspected illegal money lenders - codenamed Operation Scarborough.

A 55-year-old man and a 29-year old woman from Heywood were arrested on suspicion of illegal money lending, money laundering and production of cannabis.

They remain in police custody for questioning.

A quantity of cash and cannabis was also recovered from the address in Heywood.

Detective Inspector Anthony Norman said: “Illegal money lending can entrap desperate people and lead them into a life of spiralling debt, fear and anxiety.

"When illegal money lenders ensnare a victim, they will do anything to extract as much money as possible using a range of tactics such as exorbitant interest rates, intimidation and even violence.

"This can affect anyone, any person can be the victim of these people and once they are caught in this cycle it can be incredibly difficult to break free.

"The first step towards breaking that cycle can be accepting help, and both GMP and IMLT would like to encourage anyone who has been the victim of illegal money lenders or loan sharks to make contact with the police or IMLT.

"If you or someone you know is a victim of illegal money lending, please do not hesitate to call us on the numbers provided.

"We believe that these individuals are targeting the most vulnerable members of the community and would like to reassure the public that these reports will be thoroughly investigated and every effort will be made to bring these people to justice.

"Crimestoppers is an anonymous number and your information will be handled with complete confidence."

Anyone with information can contact police on 0161 856 3925, the IMLT on 0300 555 2222 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.