A UK Border Agency raid on two wholesalers at Western International Market last week brought six arrests after illegal immigrants were found to be working at the produce hub.
Following an intelligence tip-off, around 20 officers were part of a 2.30am operation which saw arrests at Jaystar and A1 Veg Ltd last Thursday.
Five Indian men, aged 24 to 33, were arrested at Jaystar. Three had stayed in the country after their visas had expired, while two had entered the UK illegally, the officers uncovered after checks.
At A1 Veg, a 26-year-old Indian failed asylum seeker was also arrested.
The UK Border Agency will now take action to remove all six from the UK.
Their employers could now face a fine of up to £10,000 per illegal worker, unless they can prove that they carried out the correct checks on their staff.
Assistant director John Lang of the UK Border Agency said: “We continue to have success in targeting illegal workers in this area, and more of these kinds of operations are planned.”
Krys Zasada, policy development manager at the National Association of British Market Authorities, told FPJ: “This comes as a surprise to me. I can’t remember an incident like it at a market. The regulations are there to be adhered to, and it’s very clear.
“As a properly run business they should be doing the right checks. It is a corporate social responsibility issue really, if you cannot employ local people - which is the ideal - then they need to be fully eligible to work.”
