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Luton business faces fine for employing illegal workers
24 November 2009
Two people have been arrested at a Luton business as part of a Bedfordshire wide crack down on illegal working.
Officers from the UK Border Agency visited Euroway Trading Ltd at the Industrial Storage Depot in Caleb Close yesterday (23 November) morning.
Checks revealed that two members of staff - a 37-year-old and a 38-year-old - were visa overstayers and had no permission to work. Arrangements are now being made to remove the men, both from Pakistan, from the United Kingdom.
This operation coincides with a large-scale advertising campaign warning bosses of the heavy fines if caught employing illegal foreign labour.
Euroway Trading Ltd could be liable for a fine of up to £20,000, unless it can prove that the correct pre-employment checks, such as asking for a passport or other Home Office document were carried out.
Inspector Rob Tompkins, from the UK Border Agency's local immigration team Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire (West), said:
'These arrests are part of an ongoing clampdown on illegal working in Bedfordshire to reduce the attractiveness of the UK to illegal immigrants. Anyone in Bedfordshire who takes on a foreign national without permission to work in the UK is breaking the law, undermining law abiding businesses and faces a big fine.
'This year alone, we've issued fines worth over £150,000 to 16 businesses in Bedfordshire.
'There are strict rules about which foreign nationals can get a job in the UK and businesses have a clear responsibility to carry out the right checks.'
A tough new civil penalty system was brought in last year to provide a fast and effective way of tackling bosses who fail to carry out proper checks on workers from outside Europe. A fine of up to £10,000 per worker can be imposed for every illegal worker found at a business.
Guidance for employers on preventing illegal working can be found on the UK Border Agency website, www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/employers or by calling the UK Border Agency Employers Helpline on 0300 123 4699.
Anyone who suspects that illegal workers are being employed in Bedfordshire should contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where anonymity can be assured.