Raids in the Crawley area conducted by immigration officers have seen six individuals arrested for breaching their UK visa conditions.
Details of raids on businesses are regularly released by the UK Border Agency (UKBA), but this week the agency confirmed that it had raided a number of residential addresses as part of its crackdown on individuals who have overstayed or breached their UK visa conditions.
At an address in Pound Hill, a 25-year-old Pakistani man was arrested for overstaying his visa. A 21-year-old Indian man was arrested for the same problem in Langley Green. Meanwhile, in Northgate, a 47-year-old Filipino man was arrested for working in breach of his visa conditions; a crime that a 40-year-old man Pakistani man at Southgate Parade was also taken in for.
Over in Bewbush, a 28-year-old Indian woman was arrested for overstaying, as was a 35-year-old Pakistani man in Southgate Parade.
In addition to the six individuals above, a further four were arrested for slightly different reasons. Two Indian men were arrested for having submitted false documents for their previous visa applications, while a Sri Lankan man was found to be a failed asylum seeker.
Officers also arrested a 57-year-old Indian man who had overstayed his visa, but he left the country voluntarily on Monday November 12th.
Timothy Reichardt, from the UKBA, commented on the cases said: “Our officers carry out raids like this across Sussex almost every day. We continue to gather intelligence about people who remain in the UK in breach of their visa conditions and we are taking action against those not entitled to be here.”
He added that individuals who have no right to be in the UK “must leave the country”. Mr Reichardt warned: “If you refuse, we will enforce your removal.”