A man and woman have been arrested in connection with a £2.4million VAT fraud case linked to the horse racing industry.
The 60-year-old man and 53-year-old woman were arrested at a home near Braintree this morning by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) criminal investigators.
A third man, aged 64, was arrested at a home in Buckinghamshire and two businesses were also searched.
It is understood one of them was within the grounds of Great Leighs Racecourse.
They are all currently being questioned in relation to fraud by false representation, cheating the public revenue and money laundering.
Paul Barton, assistant director of HMRC criminal investigations, said: “Tackling tax fraud is a key priority for HMRC and we will not hesitate to investigate those suspected of stealing public funds.
Anyone with information about people who may be involved in tax fraud can contact the Tax Evasion Hotline on 0800 788 887.”
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