Fifteen arrested in Birmingham dawn warrants
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15 people have been arrested after 14 warrants were carried out at 13 commercial and one residential properties across Birmingham on Wednesday 31st January.
The operation followed investigation by ROCUWM (Regional Organised Crime Unit for the West Midlands Region), West Midlands Police and partner agencies, including Immigration Enforcement and Birmingham City Council’s Trading Standards officers to carry out warrants where a number of items were seized including illegal tobacco and vapes.
A man and a woman, both aged 40, were arrested at an address in Glenpark Road on suspicion of money laundering and another man was arrested in Alum Rock on suspicion of assault from an incident earlier this year.
Two vehicles were also seized from the residential address.
Following the warrants at the business addresses, 11 people were arrested for a range of immigration offences including illegal working, of which six individuals were detained pending their removal from the UK.
Six of the commercial businesses employing illegal workers have been served with civil penalty fines worth a total of £120,000.
Following the operation, Inspector Jonathan Beach from the Hodge Hill constituency, said: “We have listened to concerns from the community regarding anti-social behaviour around 24-hour shops and have worked with partner agencies to take enforcement action today.
“Local neighbourhood teams will continue to patrol the area to engage and reassure the community.
Immigration Enforcement HM Inspector Richard Corrigan said: “Illegal working not only encourages illegal migration but also causes untold harm to our communities, cheating honest workers out of employment, putting vulnerable people at risk, and defrauding the public purse.
“Last year, illegal working visits increased by more than 68% compared to the previous year and arrests have more than doubled. We will continue to work with partners including law enforcement agencies to tackle illegal migration in all its forms.”
Tony Quigley, Head of Trading Standards at Birmingham City Council, said: “Today’s joint operation with immigration and police officers has enabled us to search retail premises, where we have found 1000’s of illicit vapes, as well as counterfeit tobacco products estimated to worth more than £100,000. This is just one example of how partnership working between the council, government and police can produce strong results.”
Detective Chief Inspector Phil Davies from ROCUWM said: “ROCUWM tackles serious crime working collaboratively with LPAs and partners. We have a range of subject matter experts who are willing to support, in this case our experts in money laundering and prevent have supported Birmingham Gangs Team and Project Guardian to deliver a fantastic result for the community”
“This is part of our ongoing work to tackle organised criminal activity including immigration offenses and counterfeit goods across the West Midlands and beyond.
“We’re focused on those thought to be involved in the highest levels of organised crime across our region. It sends out a clear warning to others – we simply won’t tolerate it.”
Operation Target sees us taking a defiant stand against a range of serious and organised crime offences – from drug dealing to cyber crime and fraud.
Officers will be using local intelligence, seizing goods, carrying out warrants and targeting offenders as part of Op Target’s ongoing crackdown against serious and organised crime.