Immigration operation conducted at Chester delivery depot

Officers from Chester LPU have conducted an immigration operation at a delivery depot in Waverton.

On Tuesday 23rd December, officers from the Western Exploitation Team and Immigration officers conducted an immigration and welfare operation at a parcel delivery depot in Waverton.

Prior to the operation, known as Operation Sledding, officers had found that the some of the deliveries from the premises were being subtracted to illegal workers.

The workers in question did not have the right to work in the UK and subsequently did not have the correct insurance to drive delivery vehicles.

The operation yielded a number of positive results in relation to both illegal workers and delivery vehicles being driven, including:

• A man from Brazil being arrested on suspicion of immigration offences
• An overstayer was located and reported to immigration
• Two vehicles with no insurance were being used for parcel deliveries
• A vehicle with no MOT was identified 
• A defective brake light was identified on a vehicle

Detective Chief Inspector Chris Williams, of the Western Exploitation Team, said:

“We know that the demand for delivery and postal companies increases considerably around Christmas, but those involved in the employment of illegal workers often have links to wider organised immigration crime, modern slavery, and human trafficking. That is why we are committed to conducting regular operations like this and doing everything possible to identify those involved.

“I hope that the results from this operation will provide some reassurance to our communities and also act as a warning to those who are considering taking part in this type of organised crime.

“Information submitted to us from members of the public is vital to our investigations and operations such as this, so I would encourage anyone with any information or concerns about illegal activity in their area to get in touch.”

Anyone with concerns about organised immigration crime can contact Cheshire Police via 101 or visit: 

https://www.cheshire.police.uk/tua/tell-us-about/soh/seen-or-heard/