The raids followed a joint investigation with the FBI

Nine people have been arrested in an investigation into a online music scam involving stolen credit cards worth hundreds of thousands of pounds.

It is believed a gang uploaded music to iTunes and Amazon for sale and then spent about £459,000 buying the tracks using 1,500 stolen credit cards.

Apple and Amazon then paid royalties on the sales totalling £184,000.

The Met's E-Crime Unit made the arrests after raiding properties in London, the West Midlands and Kent on Wednesday.

It follows a joint investigation with the FBI that began in February.

Det Ch Insp Terry Wilson, from E-Crime Unit, said: "This has been a complex investigation to establish what we believe to be an international conspiracy to defraud Apple and Amazon.

"We are now making it more risky for criminals who seek to exploit the internet and commit e-crime across national borders."

Six men and three women were arrested at various addresses across England including London, Birmingham, Kent and Wolverhampton.

All nine are in custody at police stations in London and the Midlands on suspicion of conspiracy to commit fraud and money laundering.