Immigration officers arrested two illegal immigrants from Albania following operations at businesses in Braintree and Dunmow.

Acting on intelligence, Home Office Immigration officers first visited Hands Car Wash in Springwood Road, Braintree, shortly before 10.30am yesterday.

Staff were questioned to establish whether they had the right to live and work in the UK.

A 34-year-old man was found to have entered the UK illegally.

He was released and must report regularly to the Home Office while arrangements to remove him from the country are made.

Officers then visited Waves Car Wash in Stortford Road, Great Dunmow, arriving at approximately 1pm.

Checks found that a 25-year-old man had entered the UK illegally.

He has been detained pending his removal from the UK.

Both businesses were served with notices warning that financial penalties of up to £20,000 per illegal worker will be imposed unless they can demonstrate that appropriate right to work document checks were carried out, such as seeing a passport or Home Office document.


Chief Immigration Officer Jack Davis said: "Our specialist teams conduct operations on a daily basis and anyone who is in the UK illegally faces arrest and removal from the country.

"Illegal working defrauds the taxpayer, undercuts honest businesses and cheats legitimate job seekers out of employment opportunities.

"We rely on information from the public and I would urge people to report suspected immigration abuse to us."

Information to help employers carry out checks to prevent illegal working can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/employers-illegal-working-penalties.

People with information about suspected immigration abuse can contact https://www.gov.uk/report-immigration-crime or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.