TWO suspected loan sharks were arrested during a raid at an address in Newton Abbot.

The pair, a 44-year-old woman and a 56-year-old man, were arrested on suspicion of illegal money lending, police say.

The joint operation was led by the England Illegal Money Lending team, working with police and trading standards officers. Documents and a quantity of cash were seized from the property.

The pair were taken into custody and questioned by officers before being released on bail.

Tom Quigley, head of the Illegal Money Lending Team, said: ‘We will continue to work to combat loan sharks. They can cause untold misery to the most disadvantaged in our communities.’

The team is keen to hear from anyone with information about loan sharks or victims and appealed for them to come forward.

Nationally, the team has secured more than 330 prosecutions for illegal money lending and related activity leading to more than 200 years’ worth of custodial sentences.

It has written off £63 million of illegal debt and helped 26,000 people.

Anyone with information can contact the team on 0300 555 222.