According to a statement made by the UK government, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of the United Kingdom joined the authorities in the operation that resulted in the detention of over 100 illegal immigrants from 20 different countries.
On Thursday, Rishi Sunak visited Brent, North London, early in the morning while dressed in a bulletproof vest, a light blue shirt, and navy blue bottoms.
A record-breaking 159 visits targeting illicit working were made by the UK's Home Office, and during those inspections, immigration enforcement agents detained 105 foreign nationals who were found to be working illegally.
According to the statement, the arrests happened at business locations including restaurants, car washes, nail bars, barber shops, and convenience stores.
Cash was found at certain sites and suspects were detained for offenses like working illegally and having false identification.
Talking about the arrest, Home Secretary, Suella Braverman said, “Illegal working harms our communities, cheats honest workers out of employment, and defrauds the public purse as no taxes are paid. As the Prime Minister has set out, we are committed to tackling the abuse of our laws and borders.”
“We know the prospect of black-market employment is a significant attraction for migrants considering making dangerous and illegal journeys to the UK. Operations such as today send a clear message that we will not stand for this. Of those arrested, over 40 were detained by the Home Office, pending their removal from the UK, with the remaining suspects being released on immigration bail. It is also expected that a number of the arrests will result in a voluntary departure from the UK,” Braverman added.
The Home Secretary added that since the Prime Minister announced his plan to stop the boats in December, arrests have now doubled compared to the same period in 2018. Immigration Enforcement teams conducted 1,303 enforcement visits in the first quarter of 2023, a 57% increase over the same period in 2018.
Eddy Montgomery, director of enforcement, compliance, and crime, noted that this outcome shows the commitment and professionalism of our officers in taking action against immigration offenders and law-breaking employers.
“Our enforcement teams are working around the clock to deter immigration offending and help protect the public. Working closely with partners and agencies including the police and the National Crime Agency, we are tackling illegal work at every level. It is vital that we not only identify individuals in breach of immigration law but target the people smuggling networks behind this type of criminal activity,” Montgomery added.
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