In a significant operation, seventeen individuals suspected of working illegally as delivery drivers were apprehended during a raid conducted by Immigration Enforcement at a caravan site located on New Stadium Road, next to the M32 in Bristol. The Home Office has confirmed that the arrested individuals include thirteen who had overstayed their permitted leave, two who were in breach of their visa conditions, and two others who had violated their immigration bail terms.
Of the seventeen, thirteen have been detained and are currently awaiting potential deportation. The remaining four individuals have been placed on immigration bail and are required to report to the Home Office regularly while their cases are further reviewed.
The operation, described by officials as a robust effort to combat illegal employment, highlights the ongoing issues of undocumented workers operating within the delivery drivers sector. Many of these individuals are employed on a per-job basis by major companies, which leaves them working longer hours for pay that often falls below the legal minimum wage. This system of employment has come under increasing scrutiny, as it creates opportunities for exploitation and unsafe working conditions.
Eddy Montgomery, Director of Enforcement for Immigration Enforcement, emphasized the importance of cracking down on illegal employment practices. “This operation sends a clear message to those who seek to exploit the labour market by employing workers illegally and to those who believe they can work here without the correct status,” Montgomery said. “The Home Office is committed to enforcing immigration law and will not tolerate any abuse. Our priority is to uphold border security and to ensure that criminals who exploit it face serious consequences.”
The Home Office’s action is part of a wider government strategy aimed at addressing illegal immigration and exploitation in the labour market. Recently, The home Secretary has reinforced her commitment to tackling the problem of illegal employment, particularly in sectors like delivery driving, where migrant workers are often underpaid and subjected to unsafe working environments.
Angela Eagle, Minister for Border Security and Asylum, warned of the broader dangers of illegal work, particularly its connection to organised criminal activity. “Those working without the correct immigration status and workers’ rights can find themselves in unsafe and insecure conditions, facing exploitation and even modern-day slavery, often facilitated by organised criminal gangs,” she said.
To combat this, the government has introduced a new Border Security Command, which is tasked with coordinating efforts between law enforcement and intelligence agencies to tackle organised immigration crime. “We are taking action to smash the gangs by creating the new Border Security Command,” Eagle added. This initiative is part of a broader campaign to ensure that immigration laws are enforced and that workers are protected from exploitation.
The Workers Union Says…
“This recent raid in Bristol serves as a stark reminder of the importance of protecting workers who have the legal right to work in the UK against those that don’t.”
