"They are detained pending removal from the UK."
Three men, all from India, were arrested on Wednesday, February 6, 2019, and face being deported by the Home Office after a Leicester factory was raided.
The three unnamed men, aged 28, 33 and 46, were arrested at around 11 am after immigration officers raided the GAL Fashion Ltd factory on Frisby Road, Leicester.
Enforcement officers were acting on intelligence when they conducted the raid. They suspected that the factory had been hiring illegal immigrants.
When immigration officers arrested the three men, they found that they had overstayed their visas.
A spokeswoman for the Home Office said:
“Acting on intelligence, Immigration Enforcement officers visited GAL Fashion Ltd, Frisby Road, Leicester, on Wednesday 6 February, at about 11 am.
“Officers carried out checks to ensure staff had the right to live and work in the UK.
“Three Indian men, aged 28, 33 and 46, were arrested as checks showed they had overstayed their visas. They are detained pending removal from the UK.”
Immigration officers found two other men inside the factory. Both men also from India were aged 42 and 44.
They have ongoing immigration cases, but at present, they do not have permission to work in the UK.
Immigration officers have told the men that they must regularly report to the Home Office, while their cases are dealt with.
The spokeswoman continued:
“Two further Indian men, aged 42 and 44, who have ongoing immigration cases, but no permission to work in the UK were also encountered.
“They must report regularly to the Home Office while their cases are dealt with.”
Officers from Leicestershire Police and HM Revenue and Customs supported immigration officials throughout the operation.
Following the raid, the fashion company were given a warning about employing illegal immigrants.
GAL Fashion Ltd could be presented with a financial penalty if they do not prove that the correct document checks were carried out.
The spokeswoman added:
“GAL Fashion Ltd will be served a civil penalty referral notice which warns that a financial penalty of up to £20,000 per illegal worker could be imposed unless the employer can demonstrate that appropriate right-to-work document checks were carried out, such as seeing a passport or Home Office document confirming permission to work.
“This is a potential total of up to £100,000.”
It is likely that the three men caught will be sent back to India, however, it is unclear when they will be deported.
It is also unclear if the factory will be able to prove in time that they carried out the correct right-to-work document checks.
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