Three men were being quizzed tonight by detectives after a huge haul of credit cards and bank machines were discovered in raids.

Police found seven card reading machines and dozens of suspect plastic cards at a flat in Edgbaston.

The gear was seized along with mobile phones and paperwork by officers executing a search warrant.

It is believed that the equipment has been used to dupe banks and customers out of £1.8million through chip and pin fraud and card cloning scams.

A second swoop at a flat in the Penfields area of Wolverhampton was carried out as part of an investigation into the alleged theft by fraud by use of card machine totalling £400, 000.

Det Sgt Scott Shaw, of West Midlands Police Economic Crime Team, said: “These arrests are a significant development in our fight against organised criminal gangs responsible for this type of fraud.

“These machines are often used criminally after people have been conned into revealing their banking details on internet sites or by compromised cash point machines.

“We believe the recovery of so many of these machines at these locations is a significant success.

“Together with the banking and retail industries we will continue to act positively to prevent and reduce this type of crime.”

The suspects, two aged 35 and aged 26, were arrested on suspicion unlawful possession and use of chip and pin credit card reading machines and are helping police with their inquiries.