Three arrested following raid in Kent
Three illegal workers from Sri Lanka have been arrested following a raid on a garage in Sittingbourne.
Three arrested following raid in Kent
Acting on intelligence, officers visited the BP petrol station, St Paul’s Street, at about 19:10 on Friday 28 June where they questioned individuals to check if they had the right to be in the UK.
They arrested 2 men aged 22 and 33 at the garage and a 30-year-old man at an address on High Street, Milton Regis, used for staff accommodation. All 3 were found to be working in breach of their visa conditions.
The men were transferred to immigration detention pending their removal from the UK.
The business was served a notice warning that a civil penalty of up to £10,000 per illegal worker will be imposed unless proof is provided that the correct right-to-work checks were carried out. This is a potential fine of up to £30,000.
Louise Whiteoak, head, Kent and Sussex, immigration enforcement team, Home Office said:
‘Our enforcement teams carry out operations like this almost every day in Kent and those arrested for immigration offences face being detained until they are removed. They also face a ban from returning to the UK.
‘If you are a business you must carry out the correct checks on your staff or you could end up with a heavy fine.’
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.