- Sunday, May 28, 2023
The Home Office suspended the official, who is believed to be in his late 30s.
By: Pramod Thomas
A UK Border Force official was arrested after concerns were raised over the legal status of the official who arrived the UK 20 years ago.
The Home Office suspended the official who is believed to be in his late 30s, according to reports.
He arrived the country from the Balkans and was working in Dover for the UK Border Force which is responsible for protecting UK borders. The man allegedly lied about his origins when arrived, it has emerged.
The latest incident happened when Britain is planning to bring in new legislation to prevent migrants who cross the English Channel from remaining in the country.
According to reports, a record 44,867 people have crossed the Channel on small boats to enter Britain this year.
The official is thought to be one of four Border Force employees who were detained on December 6 over a different incident. The official allegedly lied about his country of origin on paperwork to get the permission to remain in the UK.
The group was detained on charges of stealing conspiracy and misbehaviour in public office.
At the Western Jet Foil immigration detention facility in Dover, Kent, three of the employees were imprisoned, while a fourth was held somewhere else.
The arrests were made by officers from the Home Office Anti-Corruption Unit, who also searched the staff members’ houses and seized electronic devices.
The incident occurred during ongoing strikes at six airports by Border Force employees who are participating in industrial action.
A Home Office spokesman said: “On December 6, the Home Office Anti-Corruption Unit arrested four members of immigration staff on suspicion of misconduct in public office and conspiracy to steal. They have been released pending further investigation and were immediately suspended.
“One officer arrested as part of the conspiracy had previously been arrested and bailed on immigration offences. We expect the highest standards of our staff. As soon as we are made aware of allegations of wrongdoing, they are rigorously investigated and we do not hesitate in taking decisive action.”
The number of people arriving in England across the Channel has more than doubled in the last two years, with government figures showing Albanians account for the highest number of people arriving by this route.
Prime minister Rishi Sunak announced a new five-point strategy for dealing with illegal immigration, including plans to fast-track the return of Albanian asylum seekers, and clearing the initial backlog of almost 150,000 asylum cases by the end of next year by doubling the number of caseworkers.
Home secretary Suella Braverman has drafted a plan that would target international students, make it more difficult for spouses to immigrate to the UK, and raise the minimum wages for businesses that hire skilled workers.
