A man and a woman were arrested in Bath today (JUNE 10 2026) on suspicion of illegal money lending and money laundering following an early morning operation by the England Illegal Money Lending Team.
The IMLT worked in partnership with officers from the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit to execute a warrant at an address in the Twerton area.
Officers seized electronic devices and documentation.
The suspects, a 45-year-old woman and a man aged 48, were taken into custody to be questioned by IMLT investigators.
The IMLT works in partnership with the Bath and North East Somerset Trading Standards Service to investigate and prosecute illegal money lenders.
Dave Benbow, head of the IMLT, said: “We will not tolerate illegal lending in our communities and we work with our partners across England to take action against those break the law in this way.
“If you have been offered a loan, been threatened when you couldn’t pay, 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 or has any knowledge of illegal lending activities then contact our team in complete confidence.”
There are up to 1.08 million people in debt to loan sharks in England, according to figures from the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ).
The warning signs of an illegal lender include:
· Giving you no paperwork or agreement on a loan
· Keeping items until the debt is paid such as your bank card or passport
· Adding more interest or charges so the debt never goes down
· Using intimidation or violence if you don’t pay
Many illegal money lenders are well known within their communities and are often introduced to borrowers through friends or family members. They are unregulated and give loans with no paperwork, adding huge charges and using threats, intimidation and even violence if repayments are not made.
These lenders do not complete affordability checks on borrowers – often meaning they are lending to people who cannot pay them back. Borrowers do not have the protection of consumer law such as cancellation periods and the ability to apply for help if they can’t pay. This causes huge amounts of stress and can impact their other finances – leaving them unable to pay rent or other priority bills.
Anyone who has been affected by illegal money lending should call the Stop Loan Sharks 24/7 helpline on 0300 555 2222 or access support online at www.stoploansharks.co.uk. There is a Live Chat facility on the website and the team can also be contacted via WhatsApp on 07700 102773. The Live Chat and WhatsApp services are monitored from 9am to 8pm, Monday to Friday.
ENDS
Picture caption: An IMLT officer (stock image)
Issued by Sally-Anne Youll, IMLT press officer. For media enquiries, please email Sally-Anne.Youll@birmingham.gov.uk or call 07840 712850.
Notes to editors:
The Illegal Money Lending Teams in England, Scotland and Wales work alongside the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to investigate those operating within the consumer credit market without the appropriate authorisation.
The Illegal Money Lending Teams in England and Wales work in partnership with local Trading Standards Authorities in their related countries. They consist of specialist officers who investigate and prosecute illegal money lending and related activity and LIAISE officers who support victims and raise awareness of the dangers of borrowing from illegal money lenders.
