Care workers sent home after raids (From Swindon Advertiser)

Care workers sent home after raids

8:50am Monday 24th September 2012 in News

THREE care workers have been removed from the UK for immigration offences following a series of raids in Swindon by the UK Border Agency.

The foreign nationals were arrested in operations at a training event for migrant workers and at residential addresses.

Officers from the agency, supported by Wiltshire Police, went to a training event for migrant workers held at the Shaftesbury Centre, in Percy Street.

Six people were arrested on suspicion of immigration offences after checks were carried out during the operation on February 29. A woman from Sudan and a man from Burundi were later released, but four people were confirmed as immigration offenders.

A 56-year-old woman from Kenya, who was in the country illegally after her asylum claim was rejected, was removed from the UK in June. Work is continuing on the cases of a 39-year-old Tanzanian man, a 45-year-old Kenyan woman and a 47-year-old Kenyan man.

UKBA officers visited a residential address in Shenton Close on the same date where a 40-year-old Kenyan woman was arrested for immigration offences.

The woman, a failed asylum seeker, was removed from the UK in July.

Two further arrests were made by officers at residential addresses in Swindon on March 7. A Kenyan woman was arrested in Edinburgh Street, while a woman from Swaziland was detained in Cricklade Road. The 32-year-old woman from Swaziland was found to have over-stayed her visa and was removed to her home country in March.

Work continues on the case of the Kenyan woman, who is a 44-year-old failed asylum seeker.

Matthew Gregory, of the UKBA, said: “We carry out frequent operations in Swindon and Wiltshire and immigration offenders should know that they have nowhere to hide.

“Our message to people who are in the UK illegally is that they must leave. Where we find people who are in the UK illegally, we will seek to remove them.

“We are determined to crack down on offenders and are sending a simple, clear message to people who are here illegally — more raids are planned and you will be caught.”

The raids are believed to have focussed on the care industry.

A spokeswoman for the Care Quality Commission said: “In general terms, CQC takes information of concern raised about the services it regulates very seriously. Where information suggests that people may be at risk of poor care, CQC works with local authorities and other local stakeholders to make sure that people’s welfare is protected.

“CQC follows up information it receives in a number of ways, which can include unannounced inspections.”