A MAN has been charged with immigration-related deception offences after a series of police raids across the North-East yesterday morning.
The 30-year-old, believed to be from Teesside, was charged with possessing a false passport, as well as deception offences. He will appear before Teesside Magistrates Court this afternoon.
The charge comes after nine people were arrested when Durham and Cleveland police forces raided seven addresses in Middlesbrough, Normanby and Darlington.
The raids were the conclusion of a lengthy joint investigation between the two forces into a suspected fraud ring targeting financial institutions.
A man, 32, who was arrested when an address in Hilda Street, Darlington, was raided by armed police, remains in custody on suspicion of immigration offences. He is being questioned by immigration services.
Eight others arrested in yesterday's raids have been released on police bail pending further investigation.
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