7 Pinays nabbed by UK immigration

Seven Filipinas staying in London were recently arrested by the United Kingdom (UK) Border Agency and are set to be deported following a series of immigration crackdown operations.

In a release posted on the website of the British Embassy in Manila, the seven Filipino women were arrested, along with other foreign nationals, during Border Agency raids on different addresses in Willesden in northwest London on September 16.

“The enforcement operations are part of a planned nationwide crackdown by the UK Border Agency to tackle illegal working, sham marriages, bogus colleges and organised immigration crime," the release said.

It was unclear, however, what specific immigration laws were violated by the seven.

The release said UK Border Agency officers received information on locations of illegal migrants in Willesden and conducted the raid, along with Metropolitan Police officers and Brent Council staff.

They found 50 people inside the addresses and in one accommodation, and arrested 11 of them – seven Filipino women, three Chinese men and a Chinese woman due to unspecified immigration offenses.

The seven Filipinas, according to the UK Embassy, are currently being detained pending their deportation.

“This is the latest in a series of operations designed to find and remove those who have no right to live or work in the UK. We continue to work closely with the police and other agencies to target those who are here illegally, and more raids like this are planned across the UK," said Steve Fisher, head of the Border Agency's Brent local immigration team.

In July, the Border Agency likewise arrested six Filipinos, along with other migrants from Malawi and Ghana, by the Border Agency at a private nursing home in Poulner, Ringwood.

“We urge all Filipinos to comply with the conditions of their entry when visiting the UK. While the UK welcomes genuine visitors from the Philippines, we are also committed to tackling immigration abuse robustly, as evidenced by these recent arrests and removals," said Ed Mackie, UK Border Agency’s regional manager in the Philippines.

“We also continue to work closely with the Philippines Government to raise awareness of this issue and to discourage people from offending," Mackie added.

The UK Embassy noted that Philippine nationals working illegally in the UK have been apprehended by the Border Agency in regular enforcement operations and returned to Philippines.

In 2009, 85 Filipino nationals were deported from the UK after being held in detention for immigration offenses.

"Arrests are carried out by trained immigration officers who carry out operations at businesses and private addresses, acting on intelligence received from the public and other sources," the release added.

Filipinos planning to visit the UK can check the immigration rules here.–Jerrie M. Abella/JV, GMANews.TV

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