17 arrests after immigration raid at caravan park near M32

Those arrested are believed to be working illegally as delivery drivers

Seventeen people were arrested after an immigration raid at a caravan park near the M32 in Bristol. Immigration Enforcement carried out an intelligence-led visit to the site in New Stadium Road.

According to the Home Office the 17 individuals arrested were believed to be working illegally as delivery drivers. The Home Office said 13 had overstayed their permitted leave, two were in breach of their visa conditions and two had breached their immigration bail conditions.

Of those arrested 13 were subsequently detained, pending potential removal from the UK. The four individuals not detained were placed on immigration bail and will be required to report regularly to the Home Office.

Director of enforcement, compliance & crime at immigration enforcement Eddy Montgomery, said: “This operation sends a clear message to those who seek to exploit the labour market to employ workers illegally, and those who believe they can work here without the correct status – the Home Office is committed to enforcing immigration law and will not tolerate any abuse.

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“It is our priority to uphold border security and to ensure the criminals who seek to exploit it face serious consequences.”

Minister for border security and asylum Angela Eagle, said:“We are determined to clamp down both on illegal working and the exploitative treatment of illegal workers. Vulnerable individuals can find themselves trapped in unsafe and insecure conditions, facing exploitation and even modern-day slavery, often facilitated by organised criminal gangs.”

This operation is just one part of a larger effort to tackle illegal working and the exploitation of those vulnerable to it. Over the summer, immigration officers visited Bristol and targeted car washes but did not report any arrests.

The crackdown on illegal working comes after a pledge from Home Secretary Yvette Cooper to bring justice to those exploiting the labour market by employing workers illegally in an attempt to make profit.

In August the Home Secretary also announced that the Labour government had plans to achieve the highest rate of removals the country has seen in five years. To support their efforts to remove people from the UK who do not have a valid visa, including failed asylum seekers, the government has invested money into new specialist intelligence officers and 290 more beds and reopening detention centres that had previously been closed.