A police raid on an Essex depot has disrupted an international crime network which is believed to have stolen hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of charity bag collections as the police reaffirm bogus and stolen collections are a “major priority”.

Four men were arrested, £20,000 in cash seized and charity bags uncovered following a morning raid yesterday on the depot in Rainham. All four men are now released on bail.

Police suspect that the depot was the hub of an international criminal network which was stealing collection bags due for other charities, and issuing bags with false charity names, and selling the items in supermarket chain-like stores in Poland, Latvia and Lithuania.

Yesterday’s raid follows one in late August in Leeds which saw police seize more than 500 stolen bags, otherwise due for the likes of the British Heart Foundation, NSPCC, Clothes Aid and Kidney Research UK. One man was arrested following that action.

The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau, which set up a charity bag fraud desk in the summer to tackle the problem, is “uncovering increasing evidence” of organised criminal networks targeting clothes collections, a statement from the City of London Police said.

City of London Police Commander Ian Dyson said the operation “highlights how police forces and charities are sharing intelligence with the NFIB to identify and then dismantle the criminal networks who continue to steal from our streets to sell on high streets across Eastern Europe.

“Investigating this type of criminality is a majority priority for the City of London Police, and those who continue to offend should expect to see our officers to come calling sometime soon.”

The City of London Police said that the charity bag fraud desk is “using the most advance police analytical system in the world” to wade through intelligence and organise the national response.

The NSPCC’s fundraising director Paul Amadi praised the police action. “The NSPCC is grateful to the City of London Police for cracking down on this heartless crime. The theft of charity clothes bags not only takes away valuable funds from the NSPCC, it damages the public’s confidence to donate.”

Michael Lomotey, business manager of Clothes Aid, said that legitimate collectors must continue collaborating with police. “The fewer bogus clothes collectors on the streets means that the legitimate work of licensed clothing collectors on behalf of charities can continue,” he said. “It is essential that licensed clothing collectors work directly with police so that bogus collectors cease to exist.”

The raid was also acknowledged by minister for civil society Nick Hurd who said that the government too was committed with working with police on the matter.