Suspected loan shark arrested in Canklow

The Trading Standards Yorkshire and Humber team seized documents and a “substantial amount” of cash after executing a warrant in Canklow.

The 37-year-old suspect was also charged with proceeds of crime offences and is being questioned by officers.

Rotherham Borough Council supported the operation. Cabinet member for neighbourhoods Cllr Jahangir Akhtar said: “We work closely with Trading Standards to ensure that any illegal money lenders who are brought to our attention are dealt with swiftly.

“This is a great result for us and we hope it serves as a warning to anyone else who is lending money illegally.

“Crimes like this which not only affect some of the most vulnerable in our society, but often great chunks of a community, need to be stamped out as soon as possible.”

The Stop Loan Sharks project has so far helped more than 13,500 victims nationally and written off more than £25 million of illegal debt.

Property worth more than £2.5 million has been seized and over 61 years in prison sentences have been handed out.