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12 Indian nationals arrested in UK for illegal working at two businesses
11 men were arrested from a bedding and mattress company, and a cake factory, while one woman was arrested from a private residence
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Four of the 12 offenders were detained pending consideration for removal from the UK / Gov.uk
Twelve Indian nationals were arrested after immigration officers from UK Home Office raided two businesses recently. 11 men and one woman – all Indian nationals – were suspected of illegal working, and found to be in breach of their visa conditions.
Seven men were arrested after a raid by the Home Office from a bedding and mattress factory in Tipton, West Midlands. Immigration enforcement officers showed up at the factory after a tip-off that illegal working was taking place on site, according to a press release from the Home Office. Four men were arrested at a nearby cake factory, and one woman was arrested for immigration offenses at a private home.
Four of the 12 offenders were detained pending consideration for removal from the UK. The remaining eight were released on bail on the condition they report regularly to the Home Office. The raided businesses now face substantial fines if they are proved to have employed illegal workers and have failed to conduct relevant pre-employment verifications.
Michael Tomlinson, Minister for countering illegal migration, said businesses would face punishment if found to have employed illegal workers without mandatory checks. “This operation is a clear example of the way we are stepping up immigration enforcement activity across the country,” according to a press release.
“Employers found to be breaching the rules can expect significantly increased fines, and, if workers are found to have no right to live or work here, we will not hesitate to act and remove them from the country,” he added.
In Feb. 2024, the Home Office tripled fines for employers who allow illegal migrants to work for them. For a first breach, the fines were raised from £15,000 (approx. US$18,685) to £45,000 (US$56,056) per illegal worker. For businesses found to have repeated the breach of terms within 3 years, the fines have increased from £20,000 (approx. US$24,913) to £60,000 (approx. US$74,741).
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