The UK Border Agency is to remove 20 illegal migrants to India following an operation with the police in the East of England to prevent illegal working. Most of the Indian migrants had entered the UK illegally and some had overstayed their visas.

Inspector Colin Daulby, from the UK Border Agency's local immigration team, said:

"We are committed to working with the police and other agencies to put an end to illegal working, and remove those who are illegally in this country. This is another great example of that.

"We are targeting employers who use illegal workers. We often find they are exploiting people by undercutting the minimum wage, and bypassing health and safety laws. In many cases - as was the case at several of these addresses - illegal workers also end up living in appalling conditions."

Police arrested a 49-year-old man on suspicion of facilitating these offences.

Notes for Editors

• Specially trained UK Border Agency immigration officers carry out enforcement operations and arrests at businesses and private addresses, acting on intelligence received from the public and other sources, including anonymous calls to Crimestoppers (telephone: 0800 555 111). Employers can find guidance on preventing illegal working by calling the UKBA employers' helpline on 0845 010 6677 or at UKBA website.
  
• The UK Border Agency supports legitimate business by enforcing the rules against rogue employers who break them by employing illegal workers and undercutting the wages of the resident labour market. Over 1,300 civil penalty fines were issued and more than £1 million was collected in the first year of the new rules being introduced.  A fine of up to £1,000 can be imposed on an employer for every illegal worker found in the business. This helps legitimate business established and setting up in the UK and levels the playing field.
• In 2009, Indian nationals working illegally have been apprehended regularly in operations in restaurants, factories and on construction sites, and removed to India. In June, an Indian national who used false documents to obtain employment was jailed for 14 months.

22.10.2009

Dan Chugg
Director, Press and Communications
British High Commission
Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110021
Tel: 26872161; Fax: 26870065
mailto: Sam.Murray@fco.gov.uk

Back to newsroom

Back to top