Long arm of Hector - papers 15 August

HM Revenue & Customs proposals put forward would enable tax investigators to arrest suspected fraudsters, take fingerprints, bail suspects, and search people and premises without police assistance, the paper writes. The changes are the result of the department’s aim to bring similar powers to tax inspectors as those already enjoyed by customs officers, amid concerns at HM Treasury that the former have traditionally taken too soft a line against tax evasion. The Times notes the Treasury is seeking to force Barclays to open up its records on customers with offshore accounts, and that oth...