Crackdown in W3 by police and immigration officials
Eight people have been arrested after police and border officials evicted squatters from an address in Dordrecht Road, W3.
On Wednesday (17 October) South Acton and Southfield Safer Neighbourhoods Teams, along with the UK Border Agency visited the property and arrested eight Polish nationals aged between 29 and 42. Six were arrested for the new offence of squatting in a residential property.
One man was detained for immigration offences and is now being held by the UK Border Agency pending his removal from the UK. Five others were served with immigration papers warning them that they now have to prove they are working, studying or self-sufficient in order to have a right to stay. If they cannot, they will also face removal.
Safer Neighbourhoods Officer PC James Clarke said: 'The teams received information about the premises being used for squatting that had to be acted upon. We are committed to ensuring a thorough investigation and anyone identified as being involved in any wrong doing is held to account.
This work forms part of a wider plan to create a safer Ealing, help protect vulnerable people as well as reassure the wider community by targeting those whose activities impact upon crime and anti-social behaviour'.
Assistant Director Sarah Burton, from the UK Border Agency, said:
“EU nationals who have been in the country for longer than three months generally have to be working, studying or self-sufficient in order to have a right to stay. If they are not, or don't have a genuine prospect of doing so, the UK Border Agency expects them to return home. If they don’t we can and will enforce their removal.”
19th September 2012