Sandwich factory raid snares illegal immigrants

Ten agency staff working at Buckingham Foods’ sandwich factory have been arrested for working illegally, after immigration officers raided the site in Redmoor, Milton Keynes.

A spokesman from the UK Border Agency said that nine men and one woman were arrested on Thursday, April 23. The workers are from Ghana, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, India and Pakistan, and are facing removal from the UK. Nine remain in immigration detention or police custody, while one has been granted bail.

All 10 were employed by Barker Ross Recruitment - which will now face a fine if it cannot prove to the UK Border Agency that it carried out the correct checks. The company could face fines of up to £10,000 per illegal employee. Paul Ross md of Barker Ross said that it had done “everything possible to check the workers’ documentation” and that the case “was very unusual”. It was a “real set back for the company”, added Ross.

Buckingham Foods, md Nigel Hunter, said in a statement: "I can confirm that our factory premises at Wimblington Drive, Redmoor, Milton Keynes were visited... by officers from the Home Office Border & Immigration Agency.
"Despite large-scale disruption to factory operations, all Buckingham Foods staff cooperated fully with the Agency, facilitating interviews to establish the identity and right to work of each employee. I was subsequently informed that no one directly employed by Buckingham Foods was discovered to be working illegally. It is our understanding that 10 individuals employed through our temporary staff agency were arrested.
"Buckingham Foods prides itself on operating to the highest possible standards in every respect in the business and exercises proper due diligence in all recruitment activities."
Gareth Redmond, the UK Border Agency’s West London and Thames Valley director added: “We’re committed to removing people who have no right to be or work in the UK, and we’re working closely with other agencies and local authorities to do that.
“The vast majority of companies are law abiding, and we’re happy to work with businesses to ensure the right checks are done on staff. But those who do break the law will face action.”