Suspected illegal immigrants arrested in Builth Wells, Rhayader and Llansanffraid

07 July 2008
By Mark Lingard

FIVE men have been arrested at three businesses in Powys following an intelligence-led operation targeting illegal working in the county.
A team from the UK Border Agency first visited Tandoori Place in Waterloo House, Llansantffraid, on Saturday, 5 July.

A 33-year-old Bangladeshi man was arrested and taken to Newtown police station for questioning.

Officers then travelled to the Turkish Delight takeaway in West Street, Rhayader, where a 23-year-old Turkish man was found working illegally.

He was arrested and taken to Brecon police station.

Finally, the UK Border Agency team went to Bilash Indian Cuisine, in High Street, Builth Wells, where three Bangladeshi illegal workers – aged 23, 30 and 30 – were found illegally working in a variety of roles, including cooking and serving customers.

The three men were also taken to Brecon police station for questioning.

All five illegal workers arrested remain in immigration detention pending their removal from the UK over the coming weeks.

The owners of the three businesses employing the men were each served with a Notice of Potential Liability in relation to each of the illegal workers found on their premises.

The owners have 28 days to provide the UK Border Agency with evidence that the correct right-to-work checks were carried or face a fine of up to £10,000 ($19, 775 U.S. dollars at today's exchange rate) per illegal worker.

Civil penalties for business owners who fail to carry out the proper checks when employing migrant workers from outside Europe were introduced by the Government on February 29.

The UK Border Agency has recently started naming on its website employers who have been fined under the new rules.

Jane Farleigh, regional director of the UK Border Agency in Wales and the South West, said: "This successful operation shows that we will find and arrest illegal workers wherever they are in Wales.

"Cracking down on illegal working is one of the Agency's priorities and we will seek to remove from the UK anyone we find flouting immigration laws.

"Illegal working hurts good business, undercuts legal workers and law-abiding businesses, creates illegal profits and puts those employed at risk.

"To combat illegal immigration, we have to close down the jobs that tempt people to come to the UK."

The operation in Powys comes at a time of massive reform to the UK's immigration system.

The Government recently introduced an Australian-style points based system for managing migration, ensuring only those with the skills the UK needs are allowed to work.

On-the-spot fines of up to £10,000 per illegal employee for employers who don't make the correct right-to-work checks have also been brought in.

Employers unsure of the steps they need to take to avoid employing illegal workers can visit www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/employers or they can call the UK Border Agency Employers Helpline on 0845 010 6677.

Anyone who suspects that illegal workers are being employed at a business can contact the UK Border Agency on 029 2092 4727.
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