16 Indian illegal immigrants and ‘rough sleepers’ arrested

Thursday, 20 September 2012 - 12:11am India News Bulletin Desk

the M4 bridge near Heston west London where 16 illegal immigrants were arrested

Image: Wikimedia Commons (Ray Stanton)

Sixteen illegal immigrants – all Indian men – have been arrested after a UK Border Agency-led operation which targeted homeless rough sleepers underneath the M4 motorway bridge in Heston, west London.

The UKBA officials were supported by the Metropolitan Police Service and the London Borough of Hounslow Council when they attended the site, on Heston Road at around 6am on Wednesday September 19.

The rough sleepers were arrested for a variety of immigration offences and the UK Border Agency will seek to remove them from the country and return them back to India as soon as possible.

The Highways Agency, which owns the site, will now ake action to secure the area underneath the M4 bridge in Heston and prevent further misuse.

“This is one example of the tough action being taken by officers across the country to find and remove those who are in the UK illegally,” said new immigration minister, Mark Harper said:

“We are also making it more difficult for illegal migrants to obtain free healthcare, financial products and access to benefits – and businesses found employing an illegal migrant can be fined up to £10,000 per illegal worker,” Harper added

According to the UK border control agency, those with no right to be in the country should leave voluntarily, and the agency will help them to do so. “However, if they refuse we will enforce their removal,” Harper said.

Since May this year, a targeted UK Border Agency operation – Mayapple - has resulted in more than 2,000 overstayers based in London leaving the UK which included more than 700 enforced returns. Of these 2,000 illegal immigrants, around 700 were Indians.