English operation: Late yesterday afternoon, several hours after the raids conducted by the Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) began, officers were still taking material from the offices of the Craven Group on Brittania Road, Sale, Manchester.
The offices are down a cul-de-sac that runs between a railway line and a canal, near the King's Ransom pub, where tables are set out beside the canal and a few stationary barges.
The modest, two-storey office block has frontage on to the road and on to a walled yard. Inside the yard a number of uniformed policemen were sitting in a white van.
A second van parked alongside the office block was being filled with material by a number of ARA officers wearing baseball hats, zip-up jackets and tight, lightweight bulletproof jackets.
They filled the vehicle with clear plastic refuse sacks containing lever arch files, filing boxes, books of documents, and clothes.
A man with a Northern Irish accent and carrying a clipboard said there would be no comment and referred the Irish Times to a ARA spokeswoman in London.
Workers at a building site and at a four-story office block on the far side of the yard, named Craven Court, said the police had arrived early yesterday morning and had been there all day. Through the windows looking onto the street officers could be seen inside the offices bagging more documents and folders - until one of the officers looked up and then pulled the blinds. It appeared the officers were intent on taking everything in the 10 or more room office away with them.
Not far away, on a busy pedestrianised shopping street called School Lane, a worker in the only Craven group retail outlet said there was nobody there who could comment. He said the police had arrived at the letting agency that morning but had not stayed long.
The ARA spokeswoman in London said searches had been carried out in the Manchester area in connection with a property portfolio that has been acquired over a period of time and which is believed to be worth in the region of £30 million.
The searches were carried out on domestic and business properties associated with two Manchester-based businessmen. She declined to elaborate.
The group has been operating in the greater Manchester area for more than 20 years. Its website promises: "If you are a landlord or a potential landlord, we will offer you an excellent service which is second to none."
For landlords, the website offers a "full management package" and a "find a tenant only" package.
The group also offers what it describes as an "investor service", though it does not elaborate.
Efforts to contact Mr Craven were not successful.