Illegal immigrants arrested in council clampdown

TWO illegal immigrants were arrested in an Enfield Council led crackdown on rogue traders last week.

A Sri Lankan and an Indian, both men, were picked up in the swoop on cowboy builders in the borough.

Officers from Enfield Council’s Trading Standards and UK Borders Agency and the DWP visited properties across Enfield where building works were being carried out in a bid to drive out rogue traders, using cheap, illegal labour.

Enfield Councillor Terry Neville - cabinet member for environment said: "These dodgy building firms are cheating hard working taxpayers and undercutting British and legitimate workers so they can look to offer cheap work to home owners who want to cut their costs.

“It's a false economy as a cheap cash deal often turns out to be an expensive nightmare for the consumer who will be more than likely left with a shoddy piece of work with no chance of getting their money back."

Enfield Council’s Trading Standards Team also discovered one worker claiming to be a member of a builders’ federation but was found not to be true. Officers are now considering prosecution.

Regional Director for the UK Border Agency, Tony Smith, said: “We have very strict rules about working in the UK – if you don’t meet the requirements, you can’t get a job. Around 50 enforcement operations are being carried out every week in London and the South East, so if you’re working without permission, you’re likely to get caught and be removed from the country.

“If we find evidence that it’s the employers acting illegally, they face the threat of prosecution, a hefty fine or even prison.

“It’s important we work in tandem with other organisations, like Enfield Council and the Department for Work and Pensions, in cases where we believe employers or their staff may be in breach of different areas of law.”

This document was last updated on 2008-06-03 12:04:07 published by the Communications team. Document Reference:LBE_132826