Three men have been arrested following the exposure of a major crime network that allegedly helped migrants work illegally in hundreds of businesses across the United Kingdom.
Nationwide Network Uncovered
The investigation, triggered by a BBC News undercover operation, revealed a syndicate enabling individuals with no legal right to work in Britain to operate in more than 100 mini-marts, car washes, and barber shops from Dundee to south Devon.
Immigration officers conducted raids at multiple addresses in Birmingham and the West Midlands, leading to the arrests. Two Iranian men, aged 32 and 28, were detained, along with a third man, a 43-year-old naturalised British citizen.
All three are currently held on suspicion of facilitating illegal entry to the UK and facilitating illegal working.
The 'Ghost Director' Scheme
The criminal network was discovered when reporters posed as asylum seekers looking to buy a shop. They uncovered a system where migrants could run businesses 'off the books' by paying a monthly fee to so-called 'ghost directors'.
These individuals would put the shops in their name on Companies House but have no actual involvement in the day-to-day operations. The stores were then run by asylum seekers whose names were not associated with the business, effectively concealing the illegal working from authorities.
One asylum seeker, whose claim had been rejected, was filmed attempting to sell a mini-mart for £18,000 in cash. Secret footage also captured him explaining how to avoid electricity bills by tampering with the meter and admitting he sold illegal cigarettes and vapes to children as young as 12.
Government and Enforcement Response
Andy Radcliffe, Assistant Director from Immigration Enforcement, who is leading the multi-agency probe, stated, 'We're taking this very seriously...people could go to prison for this, we could take assets off them.'
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood commented that such networks 'create an incentive for people to come here illegally' and cited the findings as evidence of a broken system. In response, the government is reinforcing its crackdown on illegal working.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced in the Budget funding for 45 new Trading Standards officers to lead additional enforcement on High Streets, with a specific focus on illicit tobacco and vaping products.
