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The UK Border Agency has arrested five illegal immigrants throughout a series of attacks in the North East during the past week.
Organised immigration crime, sham marriages, illegal work and bogus colleges were confronted by enforcement operations that are a part of a nationwide summer campaign.
On 27 July, staff working at the Hong Kong Chop Suey in Berwick- upon Tweed were interrogated by officers to ensure that they were eligible to work in the UK. Two male Chinese nationals were arrested for immigration offences and taken to Bedlington police station to be further interviewed.
In addition, a male Turkish national was discovered to be working without a work permit in the UK at (G2 Meats) Manufacturing Co in Washington, Tyne and Wear on 21 July.
As a result, those employers were warned of paying a potential penalty of up to £10,000 for each illegal employee if they were unable to provide evidence that their workers are eligible to work in the UK.
Moreover, Chinese male and female were arrested for immigration offences from Gateshead and Sunderland and were taken to Gilbridge police station for further interrogation on 21 July. This was done during unexpected visits the enforcements officers had commenced on residential addresses in these areas.
The UK Border Agency is determined to make illegal immigration nearest to impossible by carrying out an intensive enforcement activity over the summer. 'Illegal immigration puts untold pressure on public services at a time when this country cannot afford to support people not entitled to it. That's why the UK Border Agency is working day in, day out to cut out the routes such as sham marriages, bogus colleges and organised traffickers being used by foreign nationals to try and stay in the UK permanently’, as Damian Green, the Minister of Immigration, announced on 30 July. |