Tonight:
9°c
Traffickers defrauding millions in benefits
24.08.09
Babies and young children are being trafficked into Britain by foreign criminals and used to make fraudulent benefits claims.
In a multi-million-pound racket children are taken from families, with the knowledge of their parents, then placed with unrelated adults to enable fake benefit claims to be paid into accounts controlled by the trafficker. Some are trained in street crime. Forged immigration documents and employment records are reported to be used.
The Met's Operation Golf has identified 119 potential child victims in the capital. It has investigated a Romanian network believed to control a human trafficking ring. A police swoop this month on 20 addresses in Westminster, Enfield, Haringey and Redbridge found evidence of benefit crime in excess of £100,000. Four suspected child victims from Romania were rescued. The claims for housing benefit, tax credits and child benefit supplement profits from other crimes such as ATM fraud, pickpocketing and shoplifting. The traffickers are believed to use the cash to buy houses and cars in their home towns.
MP Anthony Steen, chairman of the all-party parliamentary group on trafficking of women and children, said: “This is an appalling scandal. The current checks are totally inadequate.”
A Revenue and Customs spokesman said: “Under a long-standing agreement individuals registered to work in one EU country are able to claim for dependent children. HMRC takes fraud extremely seriously and has a range of checks in place. If fraud is suspected payment is stopped.”
Reader views (6)
I thought immigrants into the UK, according to the government, finance their lives and do not claim benefit. What a load of rubbish! We should not pay money to immigrants at all. Benefits should only be paid to UK nationals. If people want to come to the UK for a new and better life then left them work for it and not sponge.
I was made redundant two months ago after working for 40 years. It was a shock and I am unable to find work at the moment. I am also unable to claim for my mortgage to be paid. I am now in fact in danger of losing my house. I really don't know what I am going to do. When I see foreigners being given money and houses I feel sad that this country is being used and abused.
- Jan, Romford
This is what happens when you open your borders to all and sundry without the processes and systems to catch those who are out to milk our goodwill. Not that the government care - it makes them look compassionate in the doe eyes of their misguided followers.
- Nobby Clark, Perth, the Scottish one
Simples, stop ALL benefits to anyone other than UK nationals!
Of course there will be fraudulent claims in a system out of control, just as immigration is out of control.
Unless we stop all free healthcare, education, child benefit, tax credits etc to people who have not paid into the system this will get worse year on year.
- Mrs, London UK
There was a large article in yesterdays Times on this subject. It would appear that there's an entire Romanian town named Tandarei which is allegedly being supporting almost entirely by the UK, Italian and Spanish benefits systems, multi-million pound houses are springing up and the mayor alleges that he doesn't know how they're being financed. Does anyone need any more reasons for us to pull out of the EU?
- Bob, Cheam
Labour control immigration? What would President Blair have to say?
- Frank, Home Counties, England.
Please tell us something we don't already know.
- Jl, London
