UPDATED: Immigration raids have been carried out across the Isle of Wight this afternoon (Tuesday) in a bid to crackdown on illegal workers.
Home Office teams have visited the supermarket Costcutter in Granville Road, Totland plus another property on The Broadway in the town. In addition, Totties fish and chips in both Newport High Street and Cowes High Street have been visited today.
Multiple vehicles headed across the Solent and made their way to the four locations, however initial reports indicate no persons have been detained although results of the raids are not yet available.
The latest crackdown comes just 7 months after the Home Office Immigration Enforcement teams visited businesses in Totland, Cowes and Ryde in the search for persons working illegally in this country.
UPDATE @ 19:55 – Island Echo understands further raids have been carried out this evening with Yarmouth Spice in Yarmouth being targeted.
Bombay Palace in Ryde has also been raided by immigration officers, however it is understood no persons have been detained during this search.
Totties fish and chips in Totland was also targeted earlier in the day alongside their outlets in Newport and Cowes, it has been revealed.
UPDATE WEDNESDAY: A spokesperson for Home Office Immigration Enforcement has this morning confirmed that one person was arrested and detained following yesterday’s raids.
Acting on intelligence that the business was employing staff with no right to work in the UK, enforcement officers visited Yarmouth Spice at around 18:00 last night, as previously mentioned. A 35-year-old Bangladeshi man was found hiding behind a refrigerator in the kitchen area. He was arrested after it was established he had overstayed his visa and has now been transferred to immigration detention pending removal from the UK.
The Quay Street business was served a notice warning that a civil penalty of up to £20,000 will be imposed unless proof is provided that the correct right-to-work checks were carried out.
No other arrests were made yesterday.
Carla Johnson, head of the South Central Home Office Immigration Enforcement team, said:
“Illegal working cheats the taxpayer and undercuts honest employers, and we treat all allegations extremely seriously.
“It is the employer’s responsibility to check their staff have permission to work in the UK and we are happy to work with those who play by the rules.
“Those who choose not to carry out these checks can expect enforcement visits and financial penalties.”
Details of the new illegal working measures can be found by visiting: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/tougher-penalties-to-combat-illegal-working
