UK arrests 280 in crackdown on illegal delivery riders
Immigration enforcement officers stopped and questioned 1,780 individuals between July 20 and 27 and 280 people were arrested, the interior ministry said, adding asylum support was being reviewed for 53 of those detained.
The operation was part of a push by the government to tackle illegal migration which also includes new legal requirements for companies to verify workers' immigration status.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer is facing pressure to show voters he can counter illegal immigration with support rising for Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage's Reform UK party.
"This government is making sure rules are respected and enforced," border security minister Angela Eagle said.
As well as the arrests, civil penalty notices were issued to 51 businesses, including car washes and restaurants, which could face fines for employing illegal workers, the ministry said.
Police seized 71 vehicles, including 58 e-bikes, and confiscated 8,000 pounds ($10,751.20) in cash and 460,000 pounds worth of illicit cigarettes.
The interior ministry said immigration enforcement teams would receive a 5 million-pound funding boost for the work tackling illegal working.
Last month, the government struck a new deal with food delivery firms, including Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat to share information aimed at preventing illegal working.
In the 12 months to July, Britain returned 35,052 people with no right to remain, up 13% on the previous 12 months.
France this week agreed to accept some undocumented migrants who arrive in Britain by small boats with Britain accepting from France an equal number of legitimate asylum seekers with family ties in the country. —Reuters
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
GMA Network
a day ago
- GMA Network
Kuwait arrests 67 over illegal alcohol production after 23 deaths
KUWAIT — Kuwaiti authorities have arrested 67 people accused of producing and distributing locally made alcoholic drinks that have killed 23 people in recent days, the Interior Ministry said. Kuwait bans the import or domestic production of alcoholic beverages, but some are manufactured illegally in secret locations that lack oversight or safety standards, exposing consumers to the risk of poisoning. The ministry said in a statement on X late on Saturday that it had seized six factories and another four that were not yet operational in residential and industrial areas. The health ministry said on Thursday that cases of methanol poisoning linked to the tainted drinks had risen to 160, with 23 deaths, mostly among Asian nationals, up from 13 fatalities reported earlier. The head of the "criminal network," a Bangladeshi national, was arrested, while one of the suspects, a Nepali, explained how methanol was prepared and sold, the Interior Ministry said. — Reuters
GMA Network
5 days ago
- GMA Network
Trump names Stallone, Strait among Kennedy Center honorees
Sylvester Stallone is unveiled by U.S. President Donald Trump as the Kennedy Center Honoree, during Donald Trump's visit to the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., U.S., August 13, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump on Wednesday named "Rocky" star Sylvester Stallone and country music great George Strait among the recipients of the Kennedy Center Honors, as he pursues a controversial overhaul of the storied arts institution. Disco diva Gloria Gaynor, rock band KISS and British theater star Michael Crawford, known for his indelible turn in the lead role of Broadway staple "Phantom of the Opera," will also receive the Honors, one of the nation's highest arts awards. Trump announced he himself would host the Honors gala, which usually takes place in early December and is later broadcast on CBS. "I did not insist, but I think it will be quite successful," he told reporters at the stately white marble complex overlooking the Potomac River. He also joked that he wanted an honor himself but was "never able to get one." Stallone, who at 79 is the same age as Trump, is a three-time Oscar nominee: for best actor and screenplay for the 1976 classic boxing flick "Rocky," and for best supporting actor, again in the Rocky Balboa role, in the 2015 follow-up "Creed." He is also a major Trump supporter and one of the president's "Hollywood ambassadors" along with Jon Voight and Mel Gibson. Strait, 73, is one of the best-selling musicians of all time, known for huge hits like "All My Exes Live in Texas" and "Amarillo by Morning." Gaynor, 81, is the singer behind the monster disco anthem "I Will Survive." KISS, formed in the 1970s in Trump's hometown New York City, gained fame with its shock rock performances and outlandish black and white face paint. Crawford, 83, made his mark on British television in the 1970s before achieving international success by originating the title role in Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical "Phantom of the Opera," thrilling audiences with his powerful tenor voice. 'Not going to be woke' The Kennedy Center, one of the nation's top performing arts venues, is a living monument to the late John F. Kennedy. Opened in 1971, it has long enjoyed bipartisan support. But in February, shortly after returning to the Oval Office, Trump ousted the center's leadership and installed himself as board chairman, vowing to purge any programming he deems objectionable. "A few short months ago, I became chairman of the Kennedy Center," Trump said Wednesday. "We ended the programming." In his first term, from 2017 to 2021, the Republican president skipped the Kennedy Center Honors gala, the biggest fundraiser of the year, because some of the artists receiving awards criticized him or said they would not attend in his presence. The Kennedy Center is home to the National Symphony Orchestra and also offers theater, opera, comedy and other productions. Many artists associated with the center, including opera singer Renee Fleming and musician Ben Folds, have cut ties with the institution. Others including comedian Issa Rae canceled performances. The producers of smash hit historical musical "Hamilton" opted to cancel a scheduled 2026 run timed to coincide with the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, citing the end of "neutrality" at the center. — Agence France-Presse
GMA Network
10-08-2025
- GMA Network
Israel plan to control Gaza City risks ‘another calamity' —UN official
Mourners react next to the bodies of Palestinians killed in Israeli fire while seeking aid on Saturday, according to medics, during a funeral in Gaza City, August 10, 2025. REUTERS/ Mahmoud Issa UNITED NATIONS — A UN official on Sunday warned the Security Council that Israel's plans to control Gaza City risked "another calamity" with far-reaching consequences as Benjamin Netanyahu insisted his goal was not to occupy the territory. The United Nations Security Council held a rare emergency weekend meeting after Israel said its military would "take control" of Gaza City in a plan approved by Prime Minister Netanyahu's security cabinet that sparked a wave of global criticism. "If these plans are implemented, they will likely trigger another calamity in Gaza, reverberating across the region and causing further forced displacement, killings, and destruction," UN Assistant Secretary General Miroslav Jenca told the Security Council. Britain, a close ally of Israel which nonetheless pushed for an emergency meeting on the crisis, warned the Israeli plan risked prolonging the conflict. "It will only deepen the suffering of Palestinian civilians in Gaza. This is not a path to resolution. It is a path to more bloodshed," said British deputy ambassador to the UN James Kariuki. But Netanyahu said Sunday his country was "talking in terms of a fairly short timetable because we want to bring the war to an end," as he insisted Israel did not want to occupy Gaza. Outside the meeting at UN headquarters in New York, a small but noisy protest calling for an end to the conflict was met by a large police presence. Palestinian ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour said Friday that "this escalation by the Israeli government is going in total contradiction to the will of the international community." The United States, a veto-wielding permanent member of the Security Council, is likely to seek to shield its staunch ally Israel from any practical measure of UN censure. Israel's ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, said ahead of the meeting that "Israel will not stop fighting for the release of all the hostages—and ensuring the safety and security of our citizens is our duty." — Agence France-Presse
