Three are held over ‘rogue’ security

Sep 21 2007 by Staff Reporter, Liverpool Daily Post

THREE men have been arrested in connection with a continuing crackdown on rogue security firms.

Three men, two aged 46 and one 32, from the Aigburth, Litherland and Crosby areas were arrested yesterday morning and are now being interviewed in connection with offences of deploying unlicensed staff.

Officers, who have also seized a large quantity of cash and documentation, claim the initiative has had a major impact on the working practices of many companies which are suspected of being operated by organised criminal gangs.

The initiative was launched last August in an effort to regulate companies that were being run illegitimately and could possibly be harbouring benefit cheats or illegal immigrants.

During the course of the crackdown – entitled Operation Seahog – around 600 construction sites have been visited, more than 50 private security companies investigated and 138 people convicted of working without the appropriate licence. Two men have also been found guilty of blackmail offences.