UKBA - Enforcement News Thread

Oxford restaurants face illegal worker fines

18 March 2013

Two restaurants in Oxford are facing fines for employing illegal workers following UK our raids.

Acting on intelligence, our officers visited the Malikas Restaurant on Cowley Road at around 14:00 on Thursday 14 March, where we carried out checks on staff to see if they had the right to work in the UK.

Two were found to be working illegally. A 31-year-old man from Bangladesh was found to be working in breach of his visa conditions and was arrested and detained pending his removal from the UK. A 41-year-old, also from Bangladesh, who had over-stayed his visa was granted immigration bail while his case is dealt with.

The restaurant was warned that it will face a fine of up to £20,000 - £10,000 for each illegal worker - unless proof can be provided to us that the correct right-to-work checks were carried out on the pair.

Our officers then moved on to the Temple Lounge on Temple Street, where they again carried out checks on staff.

A 22-year-old Egyptian national was found to have over-stayed his visa and was arrested and detained pending his removal, while a 32-year-old Palestinian man, who had entered the UK illegally, was granted immigration bail while his case is dealt with.

The Temple Lounge was also warned that it could face a fine of up to £20,000.

Maria Leon, deputy director, UK Border Agency, said:


'We are carrying out operations like this across the Thames Valley almost every day, and for those who are in living and working in the country illegally there is no hiding place.

'We are also targeting employers who fail to carry out the correct checks on their staff.

'The UK Border Agency is happy to work with employers to help them make sure they know what needs to be done, but those who flout the rules could face big fines.'

Every year, we issue fines 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 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/march/30-oxford-illegal

Six illegal workers caught in Dorset raids

18 March 2013

Six illegal workers have been arrested in our raids in Bournemouth, Poole and Ferndown.

Acting on information received, our officers went to Cinnamon, Victoria Road, Ferndown on 14 March and questioned staff about their immigration status.

Checks revealed that 3 men from Bangladesh, aged 22, 35 and 38, had overstayed their visas, while a 33-year-old, also from Bangladesh, had entered the UK illegally.

The 4, who had been working as waiters and in the restaurant's kitchen, were arrested.

On the same evening, a raid was carried out at Gurkha 2, Christchurch Road, Boscombe, Bournemouth.

There, a 35-year-old Nepalese man working in the kitchen was found to have overstayed his visa and was arrested.

Earlier in the week on the 12 March, our officers caught a 29-year-old man from Pakistan working illegally selling handbags from a stand in Poole's Dolphin Centre.

Checks revealed he was working in breach of the conditions of his student visa.

All 6 illegal workers were taken to Poole police station for further questioning after their arrest.

Four are being transferred to immigration detention to await removal from the UK. The men aged 33 and 35 from Cinnamon have been released to report weekly to a local police station while we make arrangements for their removal.

Phil Reay, UK Border Agency, said:

'We are creating a hostile environment for illegal immigrants and offenders should know that there is no hiding place in Dorset.

'As well as the workers, we are looking to target businesses which employ illegal labour and who encourage illegal immigration in the process.

'I would urge anyone with detailed information about suspected illegal working to get in touch. We are determined to stamp it out.'

The 3 businesses now face penalties of up to £10,000 for each illegal worker. To avoid a fine, the employers must provide evidence that the correct right-to-work checks were carried out like taking copies of a Home Office document or passport.

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

In 2012 more than 40,000 immigration offenders were removed or departed voluntarily from the UK.

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 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/march/31-illegal-dorset

Man jailed for immigration offences in Glasgow

21 March 2013

A 61-year-old man from Pakistan has been handed a 14 month prison sentence after pleading guilty to entering the UK using a passport he obtained by stealing someone else's identity.

Amin Raja was arrested by our officers from the criminal and financial investigation team last November at a flat in Glasgow's Govanhill.

At Glasgow Sheriff court on 19 March, Raja pleaded guilty to possession of an improperly obtained passport, another offence under the Immigration Act and providing a false name.

Raja will be considered for deportation back to Pakistan on completion of his prison sentence.

He had previously been removed from the UK after having a claim for asylum refused. He then re-entered the country using a British passport which had been fraudulently obtained using someone else's identity.

Carolyne Lindsay, criminal and financial investigation team, UK Border Agency, said:

'Our officers are working throughout Scotland to ensure that people like Amin Raja cannot profit from their attempts to abuse the immigration system and live illegally in this country.

'This case should serve as a warning to offenders that they face prison and deportation for their crimes.'

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/march/37-offences-glasgow

Six immigration offenders caught at Kent stores

22 March 2013

Six illegal workers have been caught following UK Border Agency raids at three shops in Kent.

Acting on intelligence received UK Border Agency officers targeted 3 Kent Mart stores on 14 March.

The first visit was to Kent Mart, Leysdown on Sea, Sheerness where officers checked the immigration status of the staff and found 3 men working illegally.

A 28-year-old from Sri Lanka was working in breach of his visa conditions. Two from India and aged 34 and 33, were found not to have left the UK when their visas expired.

The Sri Lankan and the 34 year-old remain in immigration detention pending their removal from the UK. The second man from India was granted immigration bail while his case is considered by the agency. If he is found to have no right to remain in the country he will also face removal.

A second visit by officers to a Kent Mart store in Lunsford Lane, Larkfield, Aylesford, revealed a 35-year-old man from India working illegally after checks showed he had not left the UK when his visa expired. He remains in immigration pending his removal from the UK.

Later the same day officers went to Kent Mart in Marden, where officers checked the immigration status of the staff and found 2 men - a 23-year-old from India and a Sri Lankan aged 38 - who have cases outstanding with the agency but who have no permission to work in the UK.

Jackie Fowler, UK Border Agency, said:

'We are determined to stamp out abuse of the immigration system.

'We want the public to contact us if they have any information on businesses or people who are breaking immigration law.

'Employers who take on illegal workers are both fuelling illegal immigration and undercutting businesses which play by the rules.'

All 3 businesses have been handed penalty notices for employing illegal workers. To avoid fines of up to £10,000 per employee the employers must provide evidence must be provided that the correct pre-employment checks were made on the men - such as seeing a passport or Home Office document.

Every year, the UK Border Agency imposes civil penalties 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.

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/march/40-illegal-kent

Man arrested at suspected sham marriage wedding in Watford

28 March 2013

An Algerian man has been arrested just moments before he was due to take part in a suspected 'sham marriage' in Watford.

Acting on information that the relationship may not be genuine, our officers attended the registration office on Hempstead Road on Monday 25 March.

Just before the ceremony was due to begin, our officers intervened and the 28-year-old man, who had been living at an address Woodford Road, Watford, was arrested for being in the country illegally having overstayed his visa.

He had been due to enter into a partnership with a 31-year-old Hungarian woman, who was working in the UK as an exotic dancer. She later admitted to our officers that she was to be paid for going through the ceremony.

The woman was questioned by our officers and released, while the Algerian man has been granted immigration bail pending his removal from the UK.

The operation was carried out with the full co-operation of the Superintendent Registrar.

Sarah Burton, assistant director, UK Border Agency, said:

'We are working closely with registrars to clamp down on sham weddings and civil partnerships. This operation is another example of the success that we are having.

'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 Union as a means of attempting to gain long-term residency and the right to work and claim benefits in the UK.

Steve Charteris, head of Statutory Services, Hertfordshire county council said:


'We have a close working relationship with the Home Office and always share our concerns with them about suspicious marriages.

'We hope that it will act as a deterrent to others who may be considering a sham marriage and sends out a clear message that criminal activity of this nature will not be tolerated in Hertfordshire.'

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/march/46-sham-marriage

Immigration fraudster jailed

28 March 2013

Three people from Birmingham have been jailed for over 8 years for a conspiracy based on fraudulent applications to stay in the UK.

The gang were jailed following an investigation by our specialist criminal and financial investigation team. The scam was uncovered after several applications to remain in the UK were received by the Home Office which were all paid for from the same bank accounts.

The applications were initially for long term residency, based on being in the UK for over 14 years and were followed by applications for residence cards based on civil partnerships between EU and non-EU nationals.

We traced the bank accounts to a couple living in Birmingham - Sayed Ahsan Yousuf and Jabin Bi.

On 9 June 2011, Yousuf and Bi were arrested along with their daughter, Sounia Jabin, and an accomplice, Arfan Ali.

During the investigation it came to light that Yousuf, Bi and Jabin were also involved in benefit fraud and fraudulent mortgage applications. These were investigated by anti-fraud officers from Birmingham city council.

On 5 March 2013, Syed Yousuf, Jabin Bi, Sounia Jabin and Arfan Ali all pleaded guilty at Birmingham crown court shortly before their trial was due to begin. Three Vietnamese nationals, arrested as part of the investigation, also pleaded guilty.

On 27 March, at Birmingham crown court, Sayed Yousuf was sentenced to 4 years 10 months imprisonment; Jabin Bi was sentenced to 2 years, and Arfan Ali was sentenced to 19 months.

Sounia Jabin received a community service order - 100 hours unpaid work. Thi Duyen Luu received a 12 months sentence suspended for 18 months, while Phi Hung Nguyen and Ha Thu Ngo each received a 4 month sentence suspended for 12 months.

Andy Radcliffe, West Midlands criminal and financial investigation team, Home Office said:

'We are cracking down on immigration crime, detaining, prosecuting and removing people and gangs who have been abusing the immigration system.

'As this case shows, we work closely with local councils to bring before the courts those involved in scams that aim to defraud both the immigration system and taxpayers.'

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/march/47-fraudster-jailed

London college scam gang jailed

28 March 2013

Three people who ran a fake college have been jailed for a total of 22 years, following an investigation by our Agency.

Sohail Akhtar, 42, of Vicarage Farm Road in Hounslow, Noasheen Muhammed, 36, of the same address, and Waqar Bhatti, 36, of Avondale Drive in Hayes, were all found guilty of conspiring to assist a breach of immigration law following a 3 month trial at Harrow crown court.

On Tuesday 26 March a judge at the same court sentenced Akhtar and Bhatti to 9 years in prison each. Muhammed was jailed for 4 years.

During the trial a jury heard how Bhatti set up Middlesex College in 2004. He then employed his friend Akhtar and Akhtar's sister Noasheen Muhammed to run operations.

The college was originally based in Hayes, but later moved to premises in central London.

The college alledgedly were offering courses in anything from fashion and business to computing and law at undergraduate and post-graduate level. The college claimed that some of these courses were being run on behalf of genuine universities.

The college ran only a small number of courses in basic English, and was largely a front for conning genuine students who wished to study in the UK and the authorities into granting visas for bogus students.

Bhatti and Akhtar were arrested at their home addresses by our officers from our criminal and financial investigation team in February 2009.

At the same time, our officers raided the premises of the college, seizing hundreds of documents relating to students and the college. They found the teaching areas at the college consisted of 4 small rooms. At the time, the college claimed to have around a thousand students enrolled.

Our Officers also discovered that the trio had printed the signatures of genuine former members of staff on bogus qualification certificates and enrolment forms to add a cover of respectability.

Rob Allen, London's criminal and financial investigation team, UK Border Agency, said:


'This was an extremely long and complex investigation into three individuals who spent years conning both legitimate students and the authorities.

'Their operation was a sham, but virtually everything they did was with the aim of adding credibility to it and they were happy to fraudulently use the names of other people and institutions to do that.

'We will seek to deport them at the end of their sentences, and Proceeds of Crime Act proceedings are now underway to prevent them benefitting financially from their criminality.'

In 2009 a change in the law meant education establishments had to obtain a licence from us before teaching students from outside the EU. Since then more than 500 institutions have lost the right to bring in international students.

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

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/march/48-college-scam

Two arrested before suspected sham marriage in Camden

04 April 2013

Two people have been arrested by immigration officers just moments before they were due to take part in suspected 'sham weddings' at Camden Town Hall.

Acting on information provided by Camden council that the relationships in question may not be genuine, officers from the Home Office immigration enforcement team attended the register office on Judd Street on 2 separate occasions on 27 and 28 March.

During the first operation on Wednesday 27 March a 37-year-old Peruvian woman was arrested for working in breach of her visa conditions ahead of her marriage to a 70-year-old British man.

The following day a 22-year-old Algerian man was arrested for entering the UK illegally. He was attempting to marry a 20-year-old French woman.

Both immigration offenders have been detained pending their removal from the UK, while their would-be partners were questioned by officers and released.

The operations were carried out with the full co-operation of the Superintendent registrar.

Assistant director Steve Fisher, head of north London immigration enforcement for the Home Office, said:

'Across London we are working closely with registrars to clamp down on sham weddings and civil partnerships.

'This operation is another example of the success that we are having, and more like this are planned in the future.

Those who would attempt to abuse the marriage system to get round our immigration laws should know that we will investigate and, if necessary, intervene and arrest those involved.'

A sham marriage or civil partnership 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.

Councillor Abdul Hai, Camden council cabinet member for community safety, said:

'We have a close working relationship with the Home Office and always share our concerns with them about suspicious marriages.

'We hope that it will act as a deterrent to others considering using Camden as a location to carry out a sham marriage and sends out a clear message that activity of this nature will not be tolerated.'

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/april/05-arrests-camden

Three immigration offenders caught at Accrington businesses

08 April 2013

Three illegal workers have been caught following raids at addresses in Accrington on Thursday 4 April.

Acting on intelligence received Home Office immigration enforcement officers visited Premier Shop, Union Road. They checked the immigration status of the staff and found a 36-year-old man from Pakistan, who had not left the UK when his visa expired, working illegally.

A second visit by officers to Cinnamon Spice, Whalley Road, revealed 2 Bangladeshi men working illegally. Checks showed man, aged 31, had not left the UK when his visa expired, the other, aged 42, had entered the UK illegally.

All 3 men were arrested and remain in immigration detention while steps are taken by the Home Office to remove them from the UK.

Colin Berrington, from the Home Office immigration enforcement team in Lancashire, said:

'We are determined to stamp out abuse of the immigration system.

'We want the public to contact us if they have any information on businesses or people who are breaking immigration law.

'Employers who take on illegal workers are both fuelling illegal immigration and undercutting businesses which play by the rules.'

Both businesses have been handed penalty notices for employing illegal workers. To avoid fines of up to £10,000 per employee evidence must be provided that the correct pre-employment checks were made on the men - such as seeing a passport or Home Office document.

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 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/april/13-accrington-raid

Six arrested following raid in West Yorkshire

08 April 2013

Six immigration offenders have been arrested following a raid in Dewsbury.

Acting on intelligence, Home Office immigration enforcement officers visited the residential address in Garden Street around 08:00 on Thursday 4 April 2013.

Checks revealed that 6 Pakistani men were in the UK illegally having all overstayed their visas.

Three of them aged 29, 45 and 55 are currently in immigration detention while the Home Office takes steps to remove them from the country.

A further three aged 36, 41 and 45 have been placed on immigration bail while their cases are progressed. If they are found to have no right to remain in the UK they will also face removal.

A seventh man found living in the house, a 49-year-old Pakistani who was not arrested, has also been placed on immigration bail while his case his progressed.

Ian Milner, from the Home Office Immigration Enforcement team in Yorkshire and Humber, said:

'Raids like this are carried out across the UK every day. We are working hard to ensure that there is no hiding place for offenders and that where we find people who are in the country illegally, we will seek to remove them.

'I urge members of the public with information about suspected immigration abuse to get in touch.'

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/april/16-six-arrested-yorks

Three in court following register office arrests

08 April 2013

Officers from Home Office immigration enforcement and Essex Police interrupted a wedding between a Portuguese woman and a Pakistani man shortly before the 14:30 ceremony was due to take place at the Station Road register office yesterday (3 April 2013).

Wahab Khalid, a 23-year-old Pakistani man, and Salome Almeida, a 22-year-old Portuguese woman, appeared before Chelmsford Magistrates Court on Friday (5 April 2013) charged with conspiracy to facilitate a breach of the UK's immigration laws.

Khalid, of The Drive, Hounslow, was additionally charged with seeking to avoid enforcement action by deception and Almeida, of no fixed address, with perjury.

Neither entered a plea and both were remanded in custody to appear at Chelmsford Crown Court on 23 April 2013.

A second Portuguese woman, Fabiana Baptista, 22, appeared at the same court charged with conspiracy to facilitate a breach of the UK's immigration laws.

Baptista, of no fixed address, entered a plea of not guilty, was remanded and will next appear at Colchester Magistrates Court on 11 April 2013.

PC Mark Ghosh, from the Home Office's immigration crime team, said:

'We are working closely with churches and registrars to identify suspect marriages, and where we believe a wedding may not be genuine we will take action.'

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 this country.

Anyone who has information on suspected immigration offenders can visit our page on how to report immigration crime.

Source:-
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/newsarticles/2013/april/21-register-office-arrests

Six arrested after Hayes immigration raid

08 April 2013

Six people have been arrested after Home Office Immigration Enforcement officers raided a house in Hayes.

Acting on intelligence, officers visited the property on Cranford Park Road at around 07:00 on Friday 5 April 2013, where they carried out immigration checks on those there.

Four Indian nationals, three men and a woman all aged between 23 and 37, were arrested for over-staying their visas. They were all detained pending their removal from the UK.

Two other Indian men, aged 28 and 33, were arrested for entering the UK illegally. They were granted immigration bail while steps are taken to remove them.

Immigration Inspector Dick Stratton, from the Home Office's West London Immigration Enforcement Team, said:

'My officers are carrying out operations like this almost every day across west London.

'For those who are in living and working here illegally there is no hiding place.

'We are also targeting businesses which employ illegal workers, and we have the power to hit them with heavy fines.

Employers unsure of the steps they need to take to avoid employing illegal workers can visit our page on preventing illegal working or they can call the Employers Helpline on 0300 123 4699.

For more information and contact details for Home Office immigration enforcement teams in the South East visit our page on our work in your region.

Anyone with information about immigration crime can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 anonymously or visit the Crimestoppers website.

Source:-
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/newsarticles/2013/april/20-hayes-immigration-raid

Illegal workers arrested at Leatherhead restaurant

08 April 2013

Four people have been arrested after Home Office Immigration Enforcement officers raided a restaurant in Leatherhead.

Acting on intelligence, officers visited the Lal Akash restaurant on Leatherhead High Street at around 14:00 on Monday 8 April 2013, where they carried out immigration checks on the 6 members of staff working there.

Five were found to have no right to work in the UK.

Four Bangladeshi men aged between 23 and 52 were arrested for over-staying their visas. They were all detained pending their removal from the UK.

A fifth Bangladeshi man, aged 32, who had an outstanding case with the Home Office, was escorted from the premises as he also had no right to work. He will have to report to the Home Office on a regular basis while his case is decided and will face removal if he is found to have no right to remain in the country.

Assistant Director Paul Smith, from the Home Office's Surrey Immigration Enforcement Team, said:

'This is the latest in a series of operations targeting illegal working in Surrey and more are planned.

'Where we find people living and working illegally in the UK we will seek to remove them.

'But illegal working fuels illegal immigration, so businesses which don't carry out the correct checks on their staff face being hit with heavy fines.'

The restaurant will now have to provide proof to the Home Office that the correct right-to-work checks were carried out or it could face a fine of up to £10,000 per illegal worker.

Employers unsure of the steps they need to take to avoid employing illegal workers can visit our page on preventing illegal working or they can call the Employers Helpline on 0300 123 4699.

For more information and contact details for Home Office immigration enforcement teams in the South East visit our page on our work in your region.

Anyone with information about immigration crime can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 anonymously or visit the Crimestoppers website.

Source:-
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/newsarticles/2013/april/19-leatherhead-arrests

Man arrested before suspected sham wedding in Oxford

10 April 2013

A man faces removal from the UK after he was arrested just moments before he was due to get married in a suspected sham wedding in Oxford.

Acting on information that the relationship may not be genuine, officers from the Home Office Immigration Enforcement team and Thames Valley Police attended Oxford Register Office on Tidmarsh Lane at around 11:00 on Friday 5 April 2013.

They arrested a 25-year-old Bangladeshi man who was in the country illegally having over-stayed his visa. He was detained and now faces removal from the UK.

His would-be bride, a 24-year-old Polish woman, was questioned by officers and later released.

The operations were carried out with the full co-operation of the Superintendent Registrar.

Assistant Director Paul Smith, head of the Home Office's Thames Valley Immigration Enforcement team, said:


'Across the Thames Valley we are working closely with registrars and the police to clamp down on sham weddings and civil partnerships.

'This operation is another example of the success that we are having, and more like this are planned in the future.

'Those who would attempt to abuse the marriage system to get round our immigration laws should know that we will investigate and, if necessary, intervene and arrest those involved.'

A sham marriage or civil partnership 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.

Anyone with information about immigration crime can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 anonymously or visit the Crimestoppers website.

Source:-
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/newsarticles/2013/april/24-sham-wedding-oxford

Two jailed for immigration offences

10 April 2013

Two men were sentenced to jail terms for immigration offences at Laganside Crown Court yesterday (Tuesday 9 April 2013).

Thaddeus Alexander Jusick, a 62-year-old Polish man with an address in south Belfast was sentenced to six months for assisting unlawful immigration. Jusick had married Xiu Hua Wei, a 50-year-old Chinese woman, in a sham marriage in Ireland in October 2008.

Jusick who has an outstanding European arrest warrant on him for deception charges will be removed to Poland when his sentence is served.

Kwok Yan Ho, 47, a British citizen who is a restaurant owner from Glenavy, was also sentenced to 6 months in jail for the same offence. He had provided documents falsely showing that Wei worked for him

Wei who was also due to appear on immigration charges failed to do so and a bench warrant was issued for her arrest.

Andrea Anderson for the Home Office, said:

'This case shows how people are prepared to enter into a marriage with someone they barely know to help them cheat the immigration system.

'Immigration crime is not victimless. The gangs involved often have links to serious organised crime. We will continue to make life as tough as possible for those who seek to abuse the system.

'The Home Office is cracking down on sham marriages and those who seek to cheat immigration laws face prosecution and conviction.'

A sham marriage or civil partnership 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.

Anyone with information about immigration crime can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 anonymously or visit the Crimestoppers web page.

Source:-
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/newsarticles/2013/april/22-sham-marriage-sentence

Two immigration offenders arrested in Hampshire

10 April 2013

Two illegal immigrants from Vietnam have been arrested following raids in Totton and Basingstoke.

Acting on intelligence, Home Office immigration enforcement officers visited the residential addresses on Tuesday 9 April 2013.

They entered the first address at Huntingdon Close, Totton, at 06:45 where they arrested a 27-year-old man.

Officers then went to a house in Stukeley Road, Basingstoke, at 08:55 and arrested a 23-year-old man.

Both men had entered the country illegally and are currently in immigration detention while steps are taken to remove them from the UK.

Carla Johnson, from the Home Office Immigration Enforcement team in Hampshire, said:

'There is no hiding place for immigration offenders. Where we find people who are in the country illegally, we will seek to remove them.

'More raids like this are being planned for Hampshire and I would urge members of the public with detailed information about suspected immigration abuse to get in touch.'

Anyone with information about suspected immigration abuse can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 anonymously or visit the Crimestoppers website.

Source:-
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/newsarticles/2013/april/23-illegal-immigrant-arrests

Man arrested before suspected sham wedding in Glasgow

11 April 2013

A man faces removal from the UK after he was arrested just before he was due to get married in a suspected sham wedding in Glasgow.

Acting on information that the relationship may not be genuine, officers from the Home Office Immigration Enforcement team attended Montrose Street registration office at around 10.30 on Tuesday 9 April 2013.

They arrested a 27-year-old Pakistani man who was in the country illegally having over-stayed his visa. He was detained and now faces removal from the UK.

His would-be bride, a 32-year-old Lithuanian woman, was questioned by officers and later released.

Adam Scarcliffe, from the Home Office Immigration Enforcement team, said:

'Anyone in the UK illegally and seeking to evade our immigration laws should take heed of this latest operation. Expect to be found by us and removed from the UK.

'The Home Office is working with colleagues at registration offices throughout Scotland and receives intelligence from a wide variety of sources. We will not hesitate to act against those who mistakenly believe that they can abuse the immigration system.'

A sham marriage or civil partnership 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.

Anyone with information about immigration crime can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 anonymously or visit the Crimestoppers website.

Source:-
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/newsarticles/2013/april/26-sham-wedding-glasgow

Accountant who assisted sham marriage gang jailed

12 April 2013

An accountant who helped beneficiaries of an international sham marriage gang stay in the UK illegally has been jailed for more than 5 years.

Soloman Adekotujo, 58, of Heaton House, Heaton Road, Peckham, produced fraudulent letters and payslips to the Home Office from European Economic Area (EEA) nationals, claiming they were exercising their treaty rights by working at his business. These individuals were in fact part of a sham marriage ring that enabled non EEA nationals to remain in the UK illegally.

On 11 March 2013 a jury found Adekotujo guilty of conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration and fraud following a six-day trial at Woolwich Crown Court. He was sentenced to five years and six months for the immigration charge and three months for the fraud charge, to run concurrently, at the same court on Friday 12 April.

When specialist investigators from the Home Office's South London immigration crime team raided Adekotujo's businesses - Solomon and Co, Scul Consulting and Moora Cargo Services - on the Old Kent Road in October 2012 they found letters of employment and accountancy documentation for the EEA nationals but no evidence that they had ever lived in the UK.

Officers linked Adekotujo to the sham marriage gang run by Nigerian nationals, which arranged for EEA 'brides' and 'grooms' to marry West Africans in return for cash.

All beneficiaries of the eight 'marriages' arranged by this criminal network have been identified and steps are being taken to remove them from the country. Officers in The Netherlands have also arrested alleged fake brides and grooms and prosecution is ongoing.

The ringleader of the 'fixer' gang, Waheed Salau, of Myrtle Road, Romford, is currently serving a four-and-a-half year jail sentence after admitting conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration in April 2012. Salau's partner, Esther Obatuyi, also of Myrtle Road, was sentenced alongside him for the same offence. Accomplice Daniel Onasanya, of Lillechurch Road, Dagenham, is serving eight months for seeking leave to remain by deception.

Among those that Adekotujo falsely claimed worked for him were Dutch nationals Doanne Spanner and Soraida Decaster. Spanner was involved in a sham marriage to Salau to enable him to remain in the UK and assisted with travel arrangements as part of the criminal network. It is believed the 'bride' was an imposter as she and Salau never met in person.

Spanner was extradited from The Netherlands in October 2012 and sentenced to 18 months in prison after admitting conspiracy to facilitate illegal immigration in the UK.

Decaster entered a sham marriage with Onasanya, although it is believed the bride was also an imposter, and has been arrested in Holland. Neither Spanner or Decaster have ever lived in the UK despite Adekotujo producing pay slips and letters to make it seem as if they had.

Hannah Shirley, from the Home Office immigration crime team in London, said:

'The sentence given to Adekotujo sends out a clear message that we will not tolerate abuse of our immigration system.

'This result, and the outcome of the other linked investigation, demonstrates the severity of this offence. Those who facilitate sham marriages are breaking the law and will be held accountable for their actions.

'This case shows how we work closely with partners in European law enforcement agencies to catch those involved in this kind of illegal activity.

'The Home Office is cracking down on sham marriages and those who seek to cheat immigration laws face prosecution and conviction.'

The South London Immigration Crime Team is a specialist unit of seconded officers from the Metropolitan Police working alongside warranted Home Office immigration enforcement officers to investigate organised immigration crime.

Source:-
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/newsarticles/2013/april/accountant-jailed

Two illegal workers discovered in Lisburn restaurant

15 April 2013

Two illegal workers have been caught following a raid at an Indian restaurant in Lisburn last Thursday evening (11 April).

Acting on intelligence Home Office immigration enforcement officers visited the Lisburn Tandoori restaurant on Bachelor's Walk and checked the immigration status of the staff.

They found 2 Bangladeshi men aged 24 and 35 who had overstayed their visas and had no right to work in the UK working there.

Both men were arrested and remain in immigration detention while steps are taken to remove them from the UK.

Mike Golden, immigration enforcement team, Belfast said:

'We are determined to stamp out abuse of the immigration system.

'We want the public to contact us if they have any information on businesses or people who are breaking immigration law.

'Employers who take on illegal workers are both fuelling illegal immigration and undercutting businesses which play by the rules.'

The restaurant will be served with a penalty notice for employing the illegal workers. To avoid fines of up to £10,000 per employee evidence must be provided that the correct pre-employment checks were made on the men -such as seeing a passport or Home Office document.

Every year, the Home Office imposes civil penalties on hundreds of companies which fail to carry out legally-required checks on their staff.

The Home Office 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 page on preventing illegal working or they can call the Employers Helpline on 0300 123 4699.

Anyone with information about immigration crime can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 anonymously or visit the Crimestoppers website.

Source:-
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/newsarticles/2013/april/30-lisburn

Two arrested at Acton takeaway

16 April 2013

Two people have been arrested after our immigration enforcement officers raided a takeaway in Acton.

Acting on intelligence, officers visited the Kentucky Fried Chicken branch in Acton Oaks shopping centre at around 19.30 on Friday 12 April, where they carried out immigration checks on 4 members of staff working there.

Two Sri Lankan men, aged 25 and 28, were found to have been in the UK illegally and were arrested for immigration offences. Both were detained pending their removal from the UK.

The franchisee of the takeaway, SME Group PLC, will now have to provide proof to us that the correct right-to-work checks were carried out or face a fine of up to £10,000 for each illegal worker.

Assistant Director Sarah Burton, from oue west London immigration enforcement team, said:

'Where we find people living and working illegally in the UK we will seek to remove them.

Illegal working fuels illegal immigration, so businesses which don't carry out the correct checks on their staff face being hit with heavy fines.'

Employers unsure of the steps they need to take to avoid employing illegal workers can visit http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/business-sponsors/preventing-illegal-working/ or they can call the Employers Helpline on 0300 123 4699.

For more information and contact details for our immigration enforcement teams in the South East visit: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/aboutus/your-region/london-se/local-immigration-teams/

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/april/32-acton-arrest