Illegal immigrants found working for Guildford firms Joint operation catches illegal immigrants working in Guildford businesses Border Agency works with police and council to catch illegal immigrants working in Guildford Border Agency works with police and council to catch illegal immigrants working in Guildford
Illegal immigrants have been caught working in Guildford and face deportation after a joint operation by Surrey Police, the Home Office and Guildford Borough Council.
Four men – a 19-year-old and a 22-year-old from Afghanistan, a 30-year-old from Pakistan and a 22-year-old from Nepal – were arrested for immigration offences.
They have been detained and are pending removal from the country.
Immigration papers were also served to a Chinese man and woman, both 29, and a 39-year-old Chinese man, who had all entered the country illegally.
They have been placed on immigration bail while their cases are considered, and face removal if found to have no right to be in the UK.
The two Afghan men had entered the country illegally and, along with the Chinese nationals, were at Red Planet Pizza on Chapel Street and the Nepalese man was working in breach of his visa conditions and arrested at Papa Johns on Epsom Road.
The Pakistani national, who had overstayed his visa, was working as a taxi driver for Galaxy Cars.
Mohammed Zubair, owner of Galaxy Cars, said the man was not employed by the company but working as a freelancer driving his own car.
Mr Zubair said that the man went through all the necessary checks and that they thought all the paperwork was in order. He said he will now investigate what went wrong.
“We have done everything as far as I’m concerned correctly with the best intentions,” Mr Zubair said. “I cannot see where things have gone wrong.
“It shouldn’t have happened and we are looking and trying to make sure it does not happen again.”Shahram Rostami, manager of the Red Planet Pizza Guildford store, said the Chinese nationals were working at the shop and one of the Afghan men was training, but had not been employed.
Mr Rostami said the other Afghan man was a friend of the trainee, who happened to be visiting at the time the officers arrived at the shop.
Craig Renforth, UK head of operations at Papa John’s, said: “The staff member was arrested for suspected breach of visa conditions and has subsequently been released.
“This staff member has been dismissed from the company and the franchisee of the store is now helping the Border Agency with their enquiries.
“Papa John’s takes its responsibility as a franchisor seriously in providing franchise owners with the right advice regarding employment legalities and advocates continued diligence with regards to ensuring the necessary checks are made when employing staff who require a visa.”
A Home Office spokesman said that ordinarily the businesses would have been issued with notices of potential liability, warning them that a civil penalty of up to £10,000 per illegal worker found will be imposed unless proof is provided that the correct right-to-work checks were carried out.
However, the Home Office can only issue these if the department led the operation, which in this case they did not as Surrey Police took the lead.
Guildford Borough Council’s involvement included checking taxi and private hire companies, but not any other specific businesses in the town.
source:
http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/illegal ... rd-5402869
Login
Register
FAQ
