34 illegal workers found in police swoop on docklands firm

Mar 20 2008 by Richard Down, Liverpool Daily Post

A DOCKLAND company has been raided by police who discovered a workforce of illegal immigrants and other foreign nationals living on the premises.

Port of Liverpool Police and Borders and Immigration Agency officers descended on KTC Edibles Ltd, at Seaforth docks.

They discovered 34 people living in open-plan office space at the warehouse just off Crosby Road South. A police source said most were Polish or central European.

A Port of Liverpool spokesman said: “Eight were Indian and one Afghan national was also found.

“We found evidence of people living on the premises. This was the first raid of its kind undertaken by the port police.”

Police sources on the docks believe, after interviewing the workers through translators, that they were being badly underpaid.

All illegal immigrants were arrested and detained and two have now been deported.

A Home Office spokeswoman said: “Steps are being taken to remove the others.

“Civil penalties are possible for companies that are found to have known they operate using illegal immigrants.

“Penalties of up to £10,000 can be awarded for each illegal immigrant found.”

Initially the plant was closed but several cars and legal workers have returned and management say it is operating as normal.

But blinds were drawn on the ground floor last night and the open-plan first-floor wing, where the immigrants were living, has been cleared.

Port police discovered the enclave just two weeks after new immigration laws came into force.

They state that “if you knowingly employ or have knowingly employed an illegal migrant worker ... you could be prosecuted and receive an unlimited fine and or a maximum two year prison sentence.”

Immigration officers are investigating whether these workers were “knowingly” employed and have declined to comment further.

After initially denying there had been a raid, KTC general manager Paresh Mehta, released a written statement.

In it he said: “KTC Seaforth had a visit from certain authorities on Thursday last week.

“The management at the site ceased production for two hours whilst they were helping the authorities with their inquiries.

“No formal charges have been brought to bear and I am confident KTC (Edibles) Ltd is free from any wrongdoing.”

The firm is the UK’s largest manufacturer and distributor of edible fats and oils and owns a large warehouse unit on Crosby Road South.

richarddown