More than 20 South Wales police officers arrived at Unite’s offices in Holborn, central London, unannounced on Wednesday. Police removed a number of items, such as documents, notebooks and a computer. The raid was part of a joint investigation by the South Wales force and HM Revenue and Customs. Police also carried out warrants for police stations in South Wales, Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales, Dyfed-Powys and Northamptonshire. A Unite spokesman said: “A Unite employee is being investigated by the police. “On Wednesday, April 6, the employee’s office at Unite HQ in Holborn, London, was accessed and searched by police on a warrant.” Unite was the most generous Labor donor under Jeremy Corbyn’s party. In December, its new secretary general, Sharon Graham, said she planned to cut donations to Labor and channel money into union campaigns. Graham, who was elected in August, has launched an investigation into how the cost of building a hotel and convention center in Birmingham turned out to be a “potentially significant loss” for the union. The initial estimated cost for the 170-room complex was 57 57 million, but the cost jumped to εκατο 98 million, an increase that Unite said was due to the preservation of employment practices in the area. A police spokesman said: “The South Wales Police have carried out warrants in connection with allegations of bribery, fraud and money laundering. The warrants were issued Wednesday, April 6, at addresses in South Wales, Metropolitan, Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales, Dyfed Powys and Northamptonshire. “The joint investigation with the Ministry of Revenue and Customs of His Majesty continues and several suspects will be investigated in due course.”
