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Eight arrested after raids in Manchester and Liverpool
29 November 2012
Eight people have been arrested for immigration offences following two separate UK Border Agency raids on businesses in Manchester and Liverpool.
Acting on intelligence, officers visited the following Manchester Superstores:
Stockport Road, Longsight
Ayres Road, Manchester
Cannon Street, Bolton
At Cannon Street they arrested two illegal immigrants a 33-year-old Pakistani man and a 39-year-old Ukranian. At the Lonsight store they arrested a further two illegal Pakistani men aged 32 and 34 and at Ayres Road Superstore they arrested a 25-year-old Pakistani man for working in breach of his visa conditions.
In Liverpool they visited TAK Supermarket Cash and Carry on Smithdown Road and arrested three Pakistani men, two employees aged 23 and 25 for working illegally having overstayed their visas and the manager of the store aged 44 for assisting unlawful immigration.
Just after noon on Wednesday 28 November officers carried out immigration checks on staff to verify they had the right to work in the UK. The officers arrested eight men who all were detained pending their removal from the UK.
Dave Magrath, head of the UK Border Agency crime team in the North West, said:
'Both operations were extremely successful and show we will not tolerate illegal working anywhere in the North West. Immigration offenders should be warned - we will track you, arrest you and remove you from the UK.
'Employers who take on illegal workers are both fuelling illegal immigration and damaging the majority of legitimate businesses who play by the rules in Manchester and Liverpool.
'We are happy to work with businesses and advise what checks need to be carried out on staff, but those who do break the law should know that they will face the consequences.'
Superintendent Simon Retford, Greater Manchester police said:
'Greater Manchester police is committed to working with UK Border Agency to target those who commit immigration offences, as we frequently see wider crime being committed, which can contribute towards organised criminality. We would urge anyone with further information on such illegal activity to contact UK Border Agency, the police or Crimestoppers.'
The UK Border Agency provides support to employers so they can understand the rules, including visits by staff, a dedicated telephone helpline and website. 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.