Big wine + flat screen TVs seizure – Kent Police raid warehouses in Horsmonden and Brenchley

Report from Kent Police on an alleged large distribution fraud – wine and flat screen TVs:
   

Policing news

Goods recovered in fraud investigation fill four lorries

24 Jul 2017

Items including tens of thousands of bottles of wine and the latest flat screen televisions have been seized by Kent Police following search warrants at warehouses in Horsmonden and Brenchley.

Officers from the Serious and Organised Crime Unit have also recovered commodities including shipments of marble tiles and even air conditioning units, as part of an investigation into an alleged conspiracy to defraud a number of foreign businesses.

Fraudulent orders
It is reported that fraudulent orders have been made to at least 20 companies, based outside of the UK. 

Victims have complained although goods have been dispatched no payments have been received.

On Thursday 20 July 2017 search warrants were executed by Kent Police at two locations; a warehouse in Goudhurst Road, Horsmonden and a second premises in Tibbs Court Lane, Brenchley. 

Arrest
In total police have seized 217 pallets of goods, filling four HGV lorries. A process to identify items recovered from these storage areas is ongoing. 

A 26-year-old man from Horsmonden has been arrested in connection with the investigation and has been bailed, pending further enquiries, until 17 August.

Significant scale

Detective Inspector Annie Clayton said:  ‘We have received multiple complaints from victims who have alleged they have lost goods due to fraud and that these goods were delivered to storage facilities in west Kent; which have now been searched. 

‘This is a complex investigation, which is being assisted by our partners at Interpol and the Metropolitan Police and which has so far resulted in the recovery of vast amounts of property we believe has been obtained by fraudulent means. The Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate is committed to tackling those who facilitate organised crime in Kent and we are investigating allegations, which are on a very significant scale.’