Immigration raid at Acton glaziers

5:33pm Tuesday 7th October 2008

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A MASSIVE immigration raid on a glass factory in Acton yesterday found 13 men alleged to be working illegally in this country.

Twenty officers from the UK Borders and Immigration Agency swooped on Toughglaze Ltd in the Chandos Industrial Estate at 11am and arrested 12 men from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the Ukraine, aged between 19 and 43.

Officers then raided a flat associated with the business and made another arrest. Three people have been charged with offences relating to having forged identity documents.

New laws bought in this February could lead to a bill of £130,000 for the glazing firm, with a maximum fine of £10,000 per illegal worker.

Last Thursday 22 Indian men were arrested at a double glazing factory in Southall following a similar raid by officers who went in and questioned staff and managers.

They were all working at G&B windows in Johnson Street, and 30-year-old Gurjit Singh of Marlborough Road has been charged with having a forged identity document.

Three of the men who claimed to be self employed now face fines of up to £10,000 each, while the company could be saddled with a bill of £190,000.

Alex Legg, chief immigration officer, said: "As long as there are illegal jobs, the UK will be an attractive place for illegal immigrants. That's why we have to put a stop to employers who don't play by the rules.”

New ID cards for foreign nationals due to be introduced by the end of the year will make it easier for companies to identify legal workers.