Economic Crime Investigations Team
The Economic Crime Investigations Team deals with the most complicated fraud cases carried out by Organised Crime Groups (OCGs) connected to the South West.
They target OCGs by investigating complex money laundering, disrupting and dismantling their financial structures through criminal prosecutions or non-conviction routes, making it difficult for them to regroup.
Our services
The Economic Crime Investigations Team can:
- advise on different money laundering typologies (methods, techniques, trends)
- apply fraud investigation strategies, such as the fraud investigation model
- collaborate with other law enforcement agencies and regulatory bodies
- create regional plans for national initiatives, such as Project Plutus, which focuses on cash-based money laundering
- focus on sole operators laundering through companies, financial institutions and cryptocurrency
- investigate fraud committed by OCGs – across force and regional borders
- investigate money laundering either as the primary offence or alongside other criminality
- obtain financial intelligence and evidence from overseas
- provide access to the NCA Expert Laundering Cadre and Joint Money Laundering Intelligence Taskforce
- target professional enablers
Who can use our services?
- Criminal investigators
- Financial investigators
- Lead responsible officers for mapped OCGs
- Intelligence staff
We are keen to offer initial advice on how our capabilities and other partners may be able to assist your investigation. Bids for capabilities then need to be taken to your Force Tasking meeting.
The team in action
Identifying millions laundered through student accounts
An investigation into the laundering of £3 million through student bank accounts resulted in over £130,000 being forfeited following arrests by SWROCU.
A further £210,000 remains frozen while enquiries are completed.
The investigation found that the money originated from human trafficking and drugs importation.
Investigation into laundering of £3.7m through Post Offices.
Nine members of an OCG operating in Gloucestershire were arrested and subsequently charged with money laundering.
The group, who stand trial next year, are accused of laundering £3.7 million through Gloucestershire and Bristol Post Offices into their bank accounts before converting the funds into cryptocurrency.
Currently, two of the nine submitted guilty pleas, conceding they were aware the deposited cash was from criminal proceeds.
Money laundering investigation takes down people-trafficking gang
An investigation into money laundering led to an offender being extradited from his villa in Spain and convicted of trafficking hundreds of women from Brazil to Cheltenham to exploit as sex workers.
As well as two counts of human trafficking and one count of keeping a brothel for prostitution, he admitted laundering the proceeds of other criminal activity to the value of £388,000.
Multi-million pound fraud investigation goes to trial
A three-year investigation has seen 18 defendants charged with 79 offences of fraud and money laundering.
The defendants will be on trial for allegedly selling fraudulent investment products to thousands of customers as part of a timeshare relinquishment scheme.
It is believed that £25 million was obtained from those sales, and assets worth millions of pounds have been restrained pending the trials.
Scotland arrests for £8m fraud and money laundering investigation
SWROCU secured national funding to carry out enforcement action, supported by Police Scotland and the NCA, that saw 11 warrants executed in Glasgow and Edinburgh.
The eight suspects arrested are accused of being members of an OCG that posed as financial authorities .
They allegedly used spoofed telephone numbers and email addresses, convincing victims to move substantial amounts of money into cryptocurrency accounts.
Three of the six victims were from the South West and collectively had more than £5 million stolen. The investigation is ongoing.
How to request services
Our Gateway, within the Regional Intelligence Unit, can provide more information about this service:
- by phone – 01278 647 299
- email – swrocugateway@avonandsomerset.police.uk
The Regional Intelligence Unit is available:
- Monday to Friday 08:00 – 22:00
- Weekends 08:00 – 16:30
For complex or resource-intensive requests, or requests for sensitive tactics, you will be asked to complete the BID Capability Form. Refer to the Tasking Procedural Guidance about this process.
For urgent, out-of-hours enquires, call 01278 647 299 and the number will divert to the on-call SWROCU officer.