A 31-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of illegal money lending following an operation in Keighley early today.
The England Illegal Money Lending Team (IMLT) worked in partnership with officers from West Yorkshire Police to execute a warrant at an address in the Thwaites Brow area.
Officers seized electronic devices, and the suspect was taken into custody to be questioned by IMLT investigators.
The IMLT works in partnership with West Yorkshire Trading Standards Service to investigate and prosecute illegal money lenders.
Dave Benbow, head of the IMLT, said: “Illegal lenders are often well known in communities and introduced to borrowers through family or friends. They will pretend to be a friend at first but may charge high interest and can become threatening or aggressive when it comes to repayments.
“We will not tolerate illegal lending in England, and we work hard with our partners across the country to tackle this crime.
“If you, or anyone you know, has any knowledge of loan shark activities then we would urge you to 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).
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. Live Chat is available on the website from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.
