Following an increase in immigration offences by gig workers in
the region, Home Office teams have stepped up action to tackle
illegal working and this week arrested drivers working for
companies including Deliveroo, JustEat and UberEats.
The arrests were for offences including illegal working and
possession of false documentation, but the operation also led to
the seizure of weapons and cash suspected of being linked to
criminal activity.
Immigration Enforcement carried out extensive
intelligence-gathering ahead of the operation, to identify
hotspots for illegal moped delivery drivers. Alongside relevant
police forces, the Home Office deployed officers on 6 consecutive
days (16 to 21 April), to make the arrests and detentions.
The government is clamping down on illegal working to ensure all
companies and workers are contributing to the UK economy by
complying with our tax and other regulations. More widely, it can
also be a pull factor for illegal migration, often trapping
vulnerable people in poor conditions and exploitation while
undermining the UK’s labour market.
Home Secretary said:
Illegal working damages our communities, cheats honest workers
out of employment and defrauds the public purse. As the Prime
Minister has set out, we are committed to going further and
faster to prevent the abuse of our laws and borders.
The British public deserve a labour market that is fair and
honest and must have confidence that goods and services they buy
are from legitimate businesses.
Of those arrested, 44 were detained by the Home Office, pending
their removal from the UK, with the remaining 16 being released
on immigration bail. It is also expected that a number of the
arrests will result in voluntary departure from the UK.
The majority of offenders were of Brazilian nationality. Indian
and Algerian nationals were also found to be working without the
right to do so in the UK.
Following thorough searches of properties linked to the arrests,
imitation firearms and other weapons were found, while over
£4,500 was seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
Director of Enforcement, Compliance and Crime, Eddy Montgomery,
added:
This is a really positive result and shows why the work we do is
so important.
By raising awareness of the risks and consequences of illegal
working, we are helping ensure businesses are complying with the
rules. Our enforcement teams are working around the clock to
deter immigration offending and change behaviours that compromise
public safety.
All employers in the UK have a responsibility to prevent illegal
working. Employers can be jailed for 5 years and could pay an
unlimited fine if they are found guilty of employing someone they
knew or had ‘reasonable cause to believe’ did not have the right
to work in the UK.
