A recent immigration enforcement operation in rural Gloucestershire led to the detention of a man and a woman at a car wash near Tewkesbury. The incident occurred on January 6, 2024, when witnesses reported seeing multiple officers in “immigration enforcement” uniforms in the village of Shuthonger, located north of Tewkesbury.
According to a statement from the Home Office, officers conducted a visit to the premises and arrested a Romanian woman and an Albanian man. Both individuals allegedly lacked the right to work in the United Kingdom and are currently detained pending removal from the country.
This operation resulted in the business being issued a Civil Penalty Referral Notice. The UK Government outlines that businesses employing individuals without the right to work, and failing to conduct the necessary checks, may receive this notice. Such referrals indicate that the case is under consideration and may lead to a civil penalty of up to £60,000 for each illegal worker.
Employers can avoid this penalty if they can demonstrate that they performed the appropriate ‘right to work’ checks. A spokesperson for the Home Office commented on the broader implications of illegal working, stating, “Illegal working undermines honest employers, undercuts local wages, and fuels organised immigration crime. This government will not stand for it.”
The spokesperson further noted that since the government took office, there has been a significant increase in enforcement actions across the country. Specifically, there has been a 63% increase in arrests related to illegal working. The Home Office has indicated plans to intensify these enforcement measures in the upcoming year.
The event highlights ongoing concerns regarding illegal employment practices within the UK and the government’s commitment to addressing these issues.
