UKBA - Enforcement News Thread

East London passport smuggler jailed for 21 months

05 December 2012

A woman from East London who attempted to import forged passports in a bid to help illegal migrants remain in the UK has been jailed for 21 months.

Rachel Johnson's scam was uncovered when Border Force officers at Coventry international postal hub intercepted a package containing four suspicious Nigerian passports on 6 March 2012. The passports themselves were genuine but contained counterfeit bio-data pages and tampered visa documents.

The parcel was delivered to Johnson's home address on 22 March shortly after which she was arrested by our specialist officers from the North and East London criminal and financial investigations team.

When our officers searched the house, we also found her Nigerian passport contained a counterfeit indefinite leave to remain stamp.

Johnson, 40, of Cotton Approach, Romford, pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to breach immigration laws and possession of forged identity documents at a previous hearing at the same court on 27 July. She was sentenced to 21 months on Thursday 29 November.

Hannah Shirley, UK Border Agency, whose team investigated the case said:


'Johnson made a blatant attempt to cheat our immigration laws herself and on behalf of others but her conspiracy was foiled thanks to the vigilance of our detection officers at Coventry postal hub.

'I am pleased that the court has recognised the seriousness of her actions. The message is clear: we will investigate those people who deliberately abuse our immigration system and they will face a custodial sentence like this one.'

We will now seek to remove Johnson from the country at the earliest opportunity.

It is believed the people whose passports Johnson attempted to import had entered the UK illegally. Investigations into the whereabouts of three of them are continuing but a 4th has been charged with attempted possession of a forged Nigerian passport.

Our North and East London criminal and financial investigation team is a specialist unit of police officers seconded from the Metropolitan Police working alongside our warranted officers to investigate organised immigration crime.

Anyone who has information on suspected immigration offenders can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 anonymously.

Source:-
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/newsarticles/2012/december/05-smuggler-jailed

At some point, we will be able to point out the lack of offending Filipinos and Filipinas, so far as the UK is concerned.

I hate to disagree, and I also cannot support with HO official statistics, but there isn't a lack of offending Filipinas who are TNT
I am very often asked how to 'regularise' overstayers who wish to legally follow a settlement strategy.

Two removed from UK after Maidstone immigration raid

06 December 2012

Two immigration offenders have been removed from the UK after they were caught by the UK Border Agency in a raid on a Maidstone business.

On 16 November an operation targeting illegal working was carried out at Ghurkha Restaurant, Week Street, and two men from Nepal were arrested. Immigration checks revealed that the pair - aged 51 and 29 - had both failed to leave the UK after their visas had expired.

They were taken to immigration detention before being removed to their home country - the 51-year-old on 23 November, and the 29-year-old on 5 December.

Jackie Fowler who heads up the Local Immigration Team for Kent said:


'Our message to people who are in the UK illegally is that they must leave. As this case shows, we will take action to remove those who break the law.

'Illegal working has a serious impact on communities, taking jobs from those who are legally entitled to work and undercutting law-abiding businesses.

'The UK Border Agency is determined to stamp out the problem of illegal working and we want the public to contact us if they have any information on businesses or people who are flouting immigration law.'

Ghurkha Restaurant has been handed a penalty notice for employing illegal workers. To avoid a fine of up to £20,000 the employers must provide evidence that the correct pre-employment checks were made on the men - such as seeing a passport or Home Office document.

Every year, we impose fines on hundreds of companies which fail to carry out legally-required checks on their staff.

The agency provides support to employers so they can understand the rules, including visits by staff, a dedicated telephone helpline and website.

Employers unsure of the steps they need to take to avoid employing illegal workers can visit our Preventing illegal working pages, or they can call the agency's employers helpline on 0300 123 4699

Source:-
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/newsarticles/2012/december/09-maidstone-raid

Four arrested after Reading immigration raid

11 December 2012

Four people have been arrested for immigration offences following an operation by our officers in Reading.

Acting on intelligence, officers visited the premises of Autocraft Ltd on Boulton Road at around 10:45 on Thursday 6 December, where they carried out checks on staff to see if they had the right to work in the UK.

They arrested 4 people at the address.

A 23-year-old Pakistani man was arrested for working in breach of his visa and a 21-year-old Afghan man was arrested for entering the UK illegally. Both were employed by Luckey Hand Car Wash.

A 41-year-old Pakistani man, who was working as a car washer for Noorani Autoz Ltd, was arrested for overstaying his visa.

Both Luckey Hand Car Wash and Noorani Autoz could be fined up to £10,000 per illegal worker unless it can prove to us that the correct right-to-work checks were carried out on employees.

Officers also arrested a 43-year-old man from St Lucia who was on the premises but wasn't working. He was in the UK illegally having overstayed his visa.

All 4 were detained pending their removal from the UK.

Graeme Kyle, South East area director, UK Border Agency said:


'This was the latest in a series of operations in the Thames Valley and those who are here illegally should know that we are out there looking for them. We will seek to remove them from the UK and they will also be banned from returning.

'But we are also targeting employers who take on illegal workers and fuel illegal immigration.

'They are damaging the majority of legitimate businesses who play by the rules and that is why we have the power to hit those who break the law with heavy fines.'

Every year, the UK Border Agency imposes civil penalties on hundreds of companies which fail to carry out proper right-to-work checks on staff.

Employers unsure of the steps they need to take to avoid employing illegal workers can visit our Preventing illegal working pages, or they can call the agency's employers helpline on 0300 123 4699

Source:-
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/newsarticles/2012/december/13-four-arrested-raid

Eight illegal workers caught in Preston

11 December 2012

Eight people have been arrested on suspicion of immigration offences following a series of UK Border Agency raids in Preston, Lancashire.

Acting on intelligence, officers from the UK Border Agency targeted two businesses in Preston on Thursday 6 December where they carried out checks on staff to see if they were legally entitled to work in the UK.

At Chester Chicken and Pizza on Moor Lane they found three illegal workers, a Nigerian man, aged 38, and two Indian men aged 27 and 30 who had all overstayed their visas and were subsequently arrested. As a result of this visit officers also visited a residential address in Georges Road, Preston. Three more Indian men aged between 29 and 32 were found and arrested on suspicion of overstaying their visas.

Later officers also targeted Hungry Eyes on New Hall Lane and encountered two Indian men aged 25 and 27. Both were arrested after it was discovered that they had overstayed their visas.

Both businesses were served with civil penalty notices for employing the illegal workers. If the employers are unable to provide evidence that legally required checks were carried out before employing the workers (such as asking for a passport or a Home Office document) a penalty of up to £10,000 will be imposed.

Alison Wray, head of enforcement for the UK Border Agency in the North West, said:


'We will continue to track down those who have no right to be living or working in the UK. This was a successful operation unearthing eight immigration offenders. The message is clear; if you are here illegally we will find you, we will catch you and we will remove you from the UK.

'The UK Border Agency is targeting unscrupulous employers who hire illegal workers thereby undercutting wages and potentially exploiting vulnerable workers.

'We are happy to work with businesses and advise what checks need to be carried out on staff, but those who break the law should know that they will face heavy fines.'

Every year, the UK Border Agency imposes civil penalties on hundreds of companies which fail to carry out proper right-to-work checks on staff.

Employers unsure of the steps they need to take to avoid employing illegal workers can visit our Preventing illegal working pages, or they can call the agency's employers helpline on 0300 123 4699.

Anyone who suspects that illegal workers are being employed at a business can report crime on this website, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111

Source:-
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/newsarticles/2012/december/14-eight-preston

Seven arrested after Kent illegal working raids

13 December 2012

Seven illegal workers have been arrested in UK Border Agency operations carried out in Maidstone, Harrietsham, Dymchurch, Folkestone and Canterbury.

Acting on information received, officers visited Marino's Fish Bar, Hart Lane, Maidstone, on Thursday, 6 December. They checked the immigration status of those working there and identified a 20-year-old man from Indian who had entered the UK illegally.

Officers also visited Hilltown Cuisine, Union Street, Maidstone, where a 41-year-old man from Bangladesh was also found to have entered the country illegally.

Later the same evening officers went to The Taste of Bengal, Ashford Road, Harrietsham where checks by officers revealed another man from Bangladesh, aged 33, who had not left the UK when his visa expired.

All three were arrested and placed in immigration detention. The men aged 20 and 41 remain in detention pending their removal from the UK. The 33-year old has been released, but must report regularly to the agency, while his case is considered.

On Friday, 7 December, officers from the agency visited Tandoori Hut, High Street, Dymchurch. Checks on immigration status of staff there revealed a Bangladeshi man aged 48 who had overstayed his visa. He was arrested and remains in immigration detention pending his removal from the UK.

A visit carried out the same evening by officers to Bengal Spice, Canterbury Road, Folkestone revealed two men, aged 31 and 40 both from Bangladesh, who had not left the country when their visas expired. Both were arrested and are in detention awaiting removal to their home country.

Again, acting on information received agency officers visited Marsala Gate, Northgate, Canterbury on Saturday 8 December where a 25-year-old Bangladeshi man was identified as overstaying his visa. He was also arrested and remains in detention while arrangements are made to remove him from the UK.

Jackie Fowler, head of the UK Border Agency local immigration team in Kent, said:


'We are carrying out operations across Kent to track down people who are breaking immigration law.

'Those who are here illegally should be in no doubt that they will be found, arrested and removed from the country.

Companies tempted to try to undercut competitors by deliberately employing illegal workers should be warned that they will face heavy fines."

The businesses named above have all been handed penalty notices for employing illegal workers. To avoid a fine of up to £10,000 per illegal worker the employers must provide evidence that the correct pre-employment checks were made on the men - such as seeing a passport or Home Office document.

Employers unsure of the steps they need to take to avoid employing illegal workers can visit our Preventing illegal working pages, or they can call the agency's employers helpline on 0300 123 4699.

Anyone who suspects that illegal workers are being employed at a business can report crime on this website, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Source:-
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/newsarticles/2012/december/21-seven-kent

Illegal migrants caught at Derby business

13 December 2012

Five illegal migrants have been caught following a UK Border Agency raid on a Derby business.

Acting on intelligence, officers paid an unannounced visit to A Star Clothing Ltd, New Normanton Mills, Stanhope Street on Wednesday 12 December.

All of the staff were questioned while officers checked their immigration status with fingerprint scanners.

The owner of the company fully co-operated with the investigation.

Four women were arrested after it was confirmed they had no right to be in the UK. They had either overstayed visas or illegally entered the country.

Another woman was escorted off the premises after it was found that she is already known to the UK Border Agency as an immigration offender and regularly reporting on bail.

Four of the women encountered at A Star Clothing are Indian nationals while the fifth is from Pakistan.

After the swoop on the textile company, UK Border Agency officers visited several residential addresses to locate passports and identity documents. During a search of a property in Dale Road, Derby an Indian man was arrested after checks showed that he had no permission to be in the UK.

The five illegal migrants are currently detained while the UK Border Agency takes action to remove them from the country as soon as possible.

The business will be served with a potential fine of up to £10,000 per illegal worker which will have to be paid unless it can prove it took sufficient steps to confirm the right to work of the foreign nationals, such as checking passports.

Hannah Buxton, from the UK Border Agency's East Midlands enforcement team, said:


'Any foreign national who is in the UK illegally should be in no doubt that they will be found, arrested and removed from the country.

'Businesses that take on illegal workers face heavy fines and possible prosecution.

'We urge members of the public to report any suspicions about people who might be here illegally'

Anyone who suspects that illegal workers are being employed at a business can report crime on this website, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Source:-
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/newsarticles/2012/december/20-derby-business

Six arrested after Medway illegal working operations

13 December 2012

Six illegal workers have been arrested in UK Border Agency operations at three Kent Mart stores in Chatham, Rochester and Milton Regis.

On Tuesday, 11 December acting on information received the local immigration team for Kent went to Kent Mart, Walderslade Road, Chatham. Officers checked the immigration status of those working and identified three men working illegally.

Two from India, aged 25 and 26, who had both overstayed their visas were arrested and remain in immigration detention pending their removal from the UK. The third, a 33 year-old from Algeria, has been released but will report regularly while his case is considered.

Officers also visited Kent Mart, Maidstone Road, Rochester where checks of the staff revealed a 37-year-old man from Sri Lanka working in breach of his visa conditions. He was arrested and remains in immigration detention while arrangements are made to remove him to his home country.

A third visit by officers on the same day to Kent Mart, High Street, Milton Regis identified an Indian man, aged 28, who had not left the UK when his visa expired. He was also arrested and remains in detention pending his removal from the UK.

A previous visit on 1 November to the Kent Mart, Walderslade Road, Chatham, revealed three illegal workers - all men from Sri Lanka. Two who had no right to work were released to report to the agency while their cases are considered. The third, aged 27, who had overstayed his visa was arrested and remains in UK Border Agency detention pending removal from the country.

Jackie Fowler, head of the UK Border Agency local immigration team in Kent, said:


'We are carrying out operations like this across Kent every week and where we find people who are here illegally we will seek to remove them.

'We are also targeting employers who take on illegal workers - fuelling illegal immigration and undercutting law-abiding businesses.

'Companies who fail to carry out the legally-required checks on staff should know that we are out there looking for them and they will face heavy fines.'

The businesses named above have all been handed penalty notices for employing illegal workers. To avoid a fine of up to £10,000 per illegal worker the employers must provide evidence that the correct pre-employment checks were made on the men - such as seeing a passport or Home Office document.

Employers unsure of the steps they need to take to avoid employing illegal workers can visit our Preventing illegal working pages, or they can call the agency's employers helpline on 0300 123 4699.

Anyone who suspects that illegal workers are being employed at a business can report crime on this website, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Source:-
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/newsarticles/2012/december/22-six-medway

Four jailed for Nottingham sham marriages

18 December 2012

Four foreign nationals, living in Nottingham, have been found guilty of taking part in sham marriages in a bid to cheat immigration laws and remain in the UK.

On Friday 14 December Antony Uteh, Goodliffe Street, Hyson Green, was jailed for 18 months at Nottingham crown court after pleading guilty to obtaining leave to remain in the UK by deception.

Uteh married a Portuguese woman at All Souls church, Radford, Nottingham in November 2008. He was arrested by UK Border Agency officers at his home address in May 2011.

On 17 December, at Nottingham Crown Court, three people were sentenced following another UK Border Agency investigation into sham marriages at Nottingham churches.

Czech national Karel Pospisil, aged 51, Bramhall Road, Bilborough was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment after being found guilty of assisting unlawful entry into a member state.

Nigerian national Abiodun Akintelu, 41, Bramcote Street, Radford was sentenced to ten months after being found guilty of seeking to obtain leave to remain in the UK by deception.

Czech national Lucie Kristova, 22, was sentenced to nine months, suspended for 12 months, and 90 hours community work, having previously pleaded guilty to assisting unlawful entry into a member state.

In October 2009, Kristova wed Shaikat Hussain, a 24-year-old Bangladeshi man, at St Andrew's church Mapperley/Mansfield Road

The second sham marriage, between Pospisil and Akintelu, took place at St Christopher's church, Sneinton in September 2010.

In January 2011, in a series of UK Border Agency raids across Nottingham, Kristova and Pospisil were arrested at Port Arthur Road, Sneinton, Akintelu was arrested at Woodborough Road, Mapperley and Hussain was arrested at Osman Close, Meadows.

Akintelu's visa expired in October 2010. Following her sham marriage, she submitted an application to the Home Office to remain in the UK on the basis of marriage to an EEA national. Hussain also submitted an application to remain after his marriage. Both applications were refused by the Home Office after the suspected sham marriages came to light.

Emma Smith, from the UK Border Agency's criminal and financial investigation team in Nottingham, said:


'We are pleased that our work to crack these two separate sham marriage scams have resulted in custodial sentences for all four fraudsters.

'We will continue to clamp down on sham marriages and other forms of immigration abuse. Anyone attempting to benefit illegally from the privileges of life in the UK faces prison and deportation.'

A sham marriage typically occurs when a non-European national marries someone from the European Economic Area as a means of attempting to gain long-term residency and the right to work and claim benefits in the UK.

Hussain was given court bail after being charged and has not yet been located. However, the UK Border Agency's national absconder tracking team is working with the police, other government agencies and commercial companies to track down, arrest and return him to custody.

Anyone with possible information about immigration crime should contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit http://www.crimestoppers-uk.org/.

Source:-
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/newsarticles/2012/december/38-sham-nottingham

Two arrested after raid on Milton Keynes takeaway

18 December 2012

Two people have been arrested following a UK Border Agency immigration raid on a takeaway in Milton Keynes.

Acting on intelligence, officers visited Tasty Fried Chicken on Queensway in Bletchley at around 2.30pm on Tuesday 11 December, where they carried out checks on staff to see if they had the right to work in the UK.

They arrested two men, a 31-year-old Pakistani national who had previously had his student visa cancelled for failing to attend college and a 24-year-old Bangladeshi who had overstayed his visa.

Both were detained pending their removal from the UK.

Tasty Fried Chicken could now be fined up to £20,000 - £10,000 per illegal worker - unless it can prove to the UK Border Agency that the correct right-to-work checks were carried out on the men.

Assistant director Paul Smith, from the UK Border Agency, said:


'Our enforcement teams are out almost every day carrying out operations like this and where we find someone who is in the UK illegally we will seek to remove them.

'But we are also targeting employers who take on illegal workers. They are both fuelling illegal immigration and damaging the majority of legitimate businesses who play by the rules.

'This is why we have the power to hit those who break the law with heavy fines.'

Every year, the UK Border Agency imposes civil penalties on hundreds of companies which fail to carry out proper right-to-work checks on staff.

Every year, the UK Border Agency imposes civil penalties on hundreds of companies which fail to carry out proper right-to-work checks on staff.
Anyone who suspects that illegal workers are being employed at a business can report crime on this website, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Source:-
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/newsarticles/2012/december/40-raid-mk

Two arrested after raid on Eton shop

18 December 2012

Two people have been arrested following a UK Border Agency immigration raid on a shop in Eton.

Acting on intelligence, officers visited I&S General Stores on High Street, Eton, at around 12:30p on Thursday 13 December, where they carried out checks on staff to see if they had the right to work in the UK.

They arrested two Indian men, a 31-year-old who had entered the UK illegally, and a 25-year old who was working in breach of his visa.

Both were detained pending their removal from the UK.

I&S General Stores could now be fined up to £20,000 - £10,000 per illegal worker - unless it can prove to the UK Border Agency that the correct right-to-work checks were carried out on the men.

Assistant director Paul Smith, from the UK Border Agency, said:


'This was the latest in a series of UK Border Agency raids in the Thames Valley and more are planned.

'Our enforcement teams are out almost every day carrying out operations targeting those who are in the UK illegally.

'But we are also looking to take action against employers who take on illegal workers. They are fuelling illegal immigration and that is why we have the power to hit them with heavy fines.'

Every year, the UK Border Agency imposes civil penalties on hundreds of companies which fail to carry out proper right-to-work checks on staff.

Anyone who suspects that illegal workers are being employed at a business can report crime on this website, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Source:-
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/newsarticles/2012/december/39-eton-shop

I am right behind all of this, Mr Micawber.

So many of these reports are to do with the restaurant and takeaway industry.

Yes, and apart from the immigration issues you have to question the health & safety issues (general hygiene and ingredients source)

Fair point as those employers in the catering industry, that flout the immigration rules, are probably just as blasé about hygiene and ingredients. Problem is there is no sign on the restaurant door to tell you all of this (need a Michelin guide of a sorts that covers those areas).

A "Bad Food Guide" ...

Two arrested in ongoing trafficking investigation

20 December 2012

Two more people have been arrested as part of operation Amber, an investigation led by us into the alleged trafficking of women.

The pair, Hungarian men aged 34 and 27, were arrested on suspicion of trafficking for the purposes of sexual exploitation into and within the UK, controlling prostitution for gain and money laundering offences.

It followed a raid on an address in Sovereign Harbour, Eastbourne, by our officers from our South East criminal and financial investigation (CFI) team at around 10:00 today (Thursday 20 December).

The pair are both being questioned by our investigators at a police station in Sussex.

Mark Rickard, head of the South East CFI team, UK Border Agency said:



'These are the latest arrests in what is an ongoing investigation into the alleged trafficking of women for the purposes of prostitution.

'Human trafficking is a horrific crime and we are determined to do our part to stop it.'

Three people have previously been charged with trafficking offences and remanded in custody as part of the operation Amber investigation. They were arrested following an operation in Croydon on 23 October.

Anyone who suspects that illegal workers are being employed at a business can report crime on this website, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Source:-
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/s...es/2012/december/49-trafficking-investigation

Just The Job

Looking for a job where 'where innovation and exceptional performance is valued' ?

UKBA Caseworkers - London

Sincere apologies if this is not allowed and gets deleted

I can certainly think of the right man for that job. A mister D. Worth.

Arrest at suspected sham marriage in Kendal

02 January 2013

An immigration offender from Nigeria has been arrested just moments before he was due to take part in a suspected sham marriage at Kendal register office.

Acting on information that the relationship may not be genuine, our officers attended the county offices in Kendal just before 11:00 on Wednesday 2 January 2013.

The operation was carried out with the full co-operation of the superintendent registrar.

Just before the ceremony began, our officers intervened and the 34-year-old man was arrested for overstaying his visa and remaining in the UK illegally.

He had been due to marry a 24-year-old British woman.

The 'bride' was questioned by our officers and released, while the Nigerian man has been detained pending his removal from the UK.

Alison Wray, head of enforcement in the North West, UK Border Agency said:


'We're working closely with registrars to clamp down on sham weddings and civil partnerships.

'Where there are suspicions that a relationship may not be genuine we will investigate and, if necessary, intervene to stop it happening.'


A sham marriage or civil partnership typically occurs when a non-European national marries someone from the European Economic Area or the UK as a means of attempting to gain long-term residency and the right to work and claim benefits in the UK.

Anyone with information about immigration offenders can report crime on this website, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Source:-
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/newsarticles/2013/january/01-kendal-sham