A total of nine people were found working and living in the UK illegally after police and partner agencies swooped on four different locations in Herefordshire last week (Thursday, February 13)
A massive police operation in a quiet UK county has resulted in the arrest of nine ‘illegal workers’. The sting, which took place across four different locations in Herefordshire last week (Thursday, February 13), was a joint effort by West Mercia Police and partner agencies.
The Multi Agency Targeted Enforcement Strategy (MATES) operation involved Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue (HWFRS), Immigration Enforcement and Herefordshire Council Licensing Enforcement. A total of nine individuals were discovered living and working in the UK illegally, leading to fines for their employers and enforcement papers issued by HWFRS.
Those arrested included four Chinese workers, two Indian men, one Vietnamese woman and two additional Chinese men. They were found across various businesses, including a nail salon, a construction site and a Chinese restaurant.
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At a location on Southern Avenue in Leominster, four Chinese workers were identified as illegal, living and working on site. They were interviewed and processed by Immigration with no slavery complaints.
These four individuals have been bailed by immigration and are currently under investigation. Two Indian men were arrested at a building site in Lyde on suspicion of possessing fake documents and have been detained by Immigration for deportation, reports the Express.
Meanwhile, at Planet Buffet on Commercial Road, Hereford, two Chinese males were arrested, processed and bailed by Immigration.
Police Sergeant Duncan Reynolds, from the Hereford City Centre Team, was pleased with the operation’s outcome, stating: “This MATES op was a big success, securing nine suspects arrested at four locations thanks to some great partnership work.”
He added, “Those arrested are now being processed by Immigration as further investigations continue into illegal workers linked to organised crime gangs whose criminality has no place on the streets of Hereford.”
The city of Hereford, known for its majestic cathedral and status as the county town of Herefordshire, boasts a modest population of 52,112 according to the 2021 census. Meanwhile, Leominster, a quaint market town in the county, is home to nearly 12,000 residents.
