TWO MEN have been arrested in a tri-county police operation which swooped on an address in Parkstone earlier this week.

Officers from Dorset Police’s Economic Crime Unit carried out warrants on Wednesday in Poole, Bournemouth, Sussex and Oxfordshire in relation to what police described as 'an on-going investigation'.

A spokesman for Dorset Police said: "A 53-year-old Poole man, a 47-year-old man from Bournemouth, a 49-year-old man from Henley-on-Thames and a 64-year-old man from Hove were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation and a money laundering offence.

"They have all been released under investigation while enquiries continue.

"For operational reasons, there are no further details available at this stage."

The Echo understands that a police van and vehicles plus sniffer dogs were seen at the building in Church Road, Ashley Cross at lunchtime on Wednesday.

A witness who asked not to be named said: "They turned up and I saw two officers in armoured vests holding a red battering ram. They seemed about to smash down the door when a key-holder turned up and let them in."

The witness then said they had seen 'a number of items removed'.

The premises at 15a Church Road had drawn blinds and papered-over windows at the rear when the Echo visited yesterday morning.

Inside there appeared to be an office chair in a reception area, with a restroom at the back. The premises bear signage for the Jane Jones PR and events company although Ms Jones said: "I'm still there but not on a regular basis."

She told the Echo: "I'm trying to get to the bottom of it all. It's one hundred per cent nothing to do with me and my first thoughts to the police were 'do you want my number, can I help you?' I'm still the leasee but they didn't seem to want my mobile number. I was told 'it's nothing to do with you whatsoever' and we won't need to contact you.