Four arrested in Northern fraud crackdown

Police in the North have arrested four people in connection with alleged fraud in the construction industry.

The four, believed to be bosses in construction firms, were detained as part of an investigation into a multi-million euro fraud, according to police.

A number of commercial premises and homes in Belfast, Dungiven, Rostrevor and Downpatrick were also searched today as part of the investigation.

The arrests come on the same day as the publication of a report claiming that fraud by workers and employers is costing the Northern economy millions of pounds.

The PriceWaterhouseCooper report said almost 40% of companies in the North have suffered from economic crime, including embezzlement, misappropriation of assets, breach of trust, financial misrepresentation, extortion and money laundering.