Latest news with #PhillipParr
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Six arrested on suspicion of smuggling hundreds of migrants into UK to work in care homes
Six people suspected of illegally smuggling hundreds of migrants into the UK to work in care homes have been arrested. An alleged organised crime boss was among those apprehended in a series of dawn raids on Tuesday morning. The group is accused of unlawfully bringing 200 Botswana nationals into Britain over a two-year period, leading them into a life of fraud and exploitation. They are believed to have assisted the migrants with illegal employment in care homes, despite them having no adequate training or medical expertise, the Home Office said. Five men and one woman were arrested in raids in Cheltenham, Manchester, Nottingham, Sheffield and Bradford. The lead suspect, a 37-year-old Botswana national, was arrested in Cheltenham on suspicion of assisting and planning the illegal entry of migrants into the UK. They are accused of assisting migrants in submitting false asylum claims using fake documents and helping them gain employment illegally. Officers acted on intelligence that suggested the lead people-smuggler was exploiting Botswanan nationals he lured to Britain under false pretences allegedly forcing them to do unpaid work. Security Minister Dan Jarvis said: 'I want to commend the dedication and professionalism of our criminal investigators and Immigration Enforcement officers for these significant arrests. Their tireless efforts have disrupted criminal networks that profit from exploiting vulnerable individuals and undermining our immigration system. 'This operation demonstrates that we will use the full force of the law against those who facilitate illegal entry into the UK for exploitation. 'Our enforcement teams work day and night to protect our borders and communities from harm, and this successful operation is testament to their commitment. 'The Government remains resolute in our approach to tackle illegal migration and the criminal enterprises that enable it, and through our Plan for Change will continue to restore order to the asylum system that collapsed in recent years." Immigration Enforcement Criminal and Financial Investigations lead, Phillip Parr, added: 'This is one of our highest priority investigations due to the scale of the threat, the number of people believed to be involved, the immense harm these victims are potentially at risk of, and the amount of financial gain the suspects stand to make.' One man from Botswana aged 37, two Zimbabwean men aged 39 and 50, two British men aged 36 and 46, and a British woman aged 33 were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to do an act to help an asylum seeker enter the UK and conspiracy to facilitate the commission of a breach of UK immigration law.
Sky News
6 days ago
- General
- Sky News
Suspected gang who 'helped hundreds of migrants enter UK illegally' arrested in raids across England
A suspected criminal gang accused of helping more than 200 migrants from Botswana enter the UK illegally over a two-year period has been targeted in a series of raids. Six people were arrested across England on Tuesday morning, with the lead suspect, a 37-year-old Botswana national, detained in Cheltenham. Four other men and one woman, aged between 33 and 50, were also arrested in Manchester, Nottingham, Sheffield and Bradford. The suspected gang is alleged to have helped migrants use fake documents to submit asylum claims and gain employment in care homes without adequate training. The Home Office said intelligence suggested the suspected lead smuggler lured people here under false pretences and forced them to do unpaid work. The "scale of the threat" meant this was one of the government's highest priority investigations, according to Phillip Parr, an inspector with the Immigration Enforcement's criminal and financial investigation unit. Mr Parr said there was "no place for those who profit from human misery" and the operation safeguarded potentially hundreds of people from further exploitation. The raids are part of the government's latest efforts to tackle people smuggling gangs and stop small boat crossings. The Home Office said almost 30,000 people have been returned since the election last July - 12% more than the same period last year. However, so far this year a record 13,617 people have crossed the Channel in small boats, compared with 10,775 for the same period last year, and more than previous comparable years. On Saturday, 1,195 people made the crossing, the highest figure so far for 2025. 2:36 Speaking to Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips this weekend, Defence Secretary John Healey said Britain had "lost control of its borders over the last five years". The government said it was tightening UK visa controls and reducing reliance on overseas workers. Home Office minister Dan Jarvis said Tuesday's raids demonstrate the UK "will use the full force of the law against those who facilitate illegal entry into the UK for exploitation".
South China Morning Post
26-02-2025
- South China Morning Post
Woman used wigs, other disguises to take UK citizenship test for others
A British woman admitted Tuesday that she wore wigs and other disguises to fraudulently take a UK citizenship test for more than a dozen foreigners. Advertisement Josephine Maurice, 61, admitted in Snaresbrook Crown Court that she fraudulently took the Life in the UK Test for 13 different men and women. She wore an array of wigs and other disguises to appear like the actual applicants and take tests on their behalf between June 2022 and August 2023, the Home Office said. 'This individual is believed to have orchestrated a premeditated plan to avoid detection, meticulously selecting disguises and test centre locations across the country to evade the authorities,' Home Office immigration enforcement officer Phillip Parr said. 'As with many criminals who commit this type of crime, we believe her motive was financial gain.' The 24-question exam that tests knowledge of British history, values and society must be passed to receive permanent residency or citizenship. Advertisement Maurice, who appeared in court by video link from Bronzefield Prison, also admitted to conspiring with others to commit fraud with and possessing two people's provisional driving licenses.
The Independent
25-02-2025
- The Independent
Woman disguised herself with wigs to take UK citizenship test for others
A British woman admitted Tuesday that she wore wigs and other disguises to fraudulently take a U.K. citizenship test for more than a dozen foreigners. Josephine Maurice, 61, admitted in Snaresbrook Crown Court that she fraudulently took the Life in the U.K. Test for 13 different men and women. She wore an array of wigs and other disguises to appear like the actual applicants and take tests on their behalf between June 2022 and August 2023, the Home Office said. 'This individual is believed to have orchestrated a pre-meditated plan to avoid detection, meticulously selecting disguises and test center locations across the country to evade the authorities," Home Office immigration enforcement officer Phillip Parr said. 'As with many criminals who commit this type of crime, we believe her motive was financial gain.' The 24-question exam that tests knowledge of British history, values and society must be passed to receive permanent residency or citizenship. Maurice, who appeared in court by video link from Bronzefield Prison, also admitted to conspiring with others to commit fraud with and possessing two people's provisional driving licenses. She faces sentencing on May 20.
BBC News
25-02-2025
- BBC News
Enfield woman who took citizenship tests for others admits fraud
A woman who used "an array of wigs" while completing UK citizenship tests for other people has admitted Maurice, from Enfield in north London, pretended to be both women and men when she took the Life in the UK Test on behalf of 13 applicants between 1 June 2022 and 14 August multiple test centres, Maurice wore wigs and other disguises in an attempt to help people fraudulently obtain leave to remain in the at Snaresbrook Crown Court via video-link from HMP Bronzefield, the 61-year-old admitted conspiring to commit fraud with others over the scheme and to possessing two people's UK provisional driving licences without reasonable excuse. 'Motive was financial gain' The Life in the UK Test is a requirement for anyone seeking to obtain indefinite leave to remain or to become a British consists of 24 questions aimed at proving the applicant has sufficient knowledge of British values, history and pay £50 to take the test, which has questions such as "who was king of England at the time of the Norman invasion in 1066?" and "how often does Prime Minister's Questions occur when Parliament is sitting?"Home Office immigration enforcement criminal and financial investigation inspector Phillip Parr said that Maurice was believed to have "orchestrated a premeditated plan to avoid detection, meticulously selecting disguises and test centre locations across the country to evade the authorities".He added: "As with many criminals who commit this type of crime, we believe her motive was financial gain."Maurice, of Enstone Road, was remanded in custody and is due to be sentenced on 20 May.
