More than a dozen of them made asylum claims
Photos from the operation at Goldbeck Solar Farm(Image: Home Office)
The Home Office has arrested 15 people it says were illegally working at a Bristol solar farm.
The department’s Immigration Enforcement team arrested the group of men at Goldbeck Solar Farm on Thursday, August 28 following reports they were illegally employed as construction workers.
Of the 15 arrests, 13 men entered the UK on Temporary Seasonal Worker visas and all claimed asylum prior to their visas expiring.
The Home Office said, so far, three of these claims have been denied and 10 are currently outstanding.
Those arrested at the solar farm were of Kazakhstani, Turkish, Georgian, Uzbekistani, Kyrgyz and Tajikistani nationalities.
One man came to the UK on a Standard Visitor visa and claimed asylum – this is still outstanding, the Home Office said.
Another entered the UK on a Turkish ECAA business visa and was arrested on suspicion of working in breach of his conditions.
Four men have been detained, the Home Office said, prior to their removal from the country, while the other 11 have been placed on immigration bail with reporting conditions.
The department is carrying out further enquiries to determine if the employer faces any liability.
If found liable, it could face a substantial fine of up to £45,000 per illegal worker for a first breach and up to a maximum of £60,000 for repeat offending.
Minister for Border Security, Immigration and Asylum, Dame Angela Eagle, said: “We are taking a tough approach to tackling illegal working right across the UK and this operation is just another example of our relentless focus to disrupt immigration offenders.
“From our city centres to rural farmland, there should be no hiding place from the law. That’s why we have increased arrests, sanctioned rogue employers, and continue to safeguard those exploited from this criminality.
“Under the Plan for Change, illegal working will no longer be tolerated.”
Chief Immigration Officer Aimee Averne, said: “I’d like to thank my officers and our partners at Avon and Somerset Police for their support on this operation, which has successfully led to the arrests of illegal workers.
“My teams will continue to enforce the law, protect legitimate businesses and disrupt the networks that exploit vulnerable individuals.”