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29 Oct 2025
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29 Oct 2025
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The number of arrests and visits on illegal workers in Scotland has risen by almost a third, new figures have shown.
The Home Office’s Immigration Enforcement section arrested more than 350 illegal workers in Scotland and carried out more than 500 visits between October 2024 and September 2025, with both figures up 30% on the previous 12-month period.
In August, an enforcement visit to a restaurant in Lochgelly, Fife, resulted in two men of Pakistani and Indian nationality being arrested for alleged illegal working.
A visit to a restaurant in Fort William in the Highlands in September led to the arrest of two men of Indian nationality and, in October, five arrests were made at a takeaway in Aberdeen.
Immigration Enforcement said civil penalty referral notices were served on all three premises, meaning they could face fines if found liable.
Under Operation Sterling, the UK Government proposed £5 million for Immigration Enforcement.
It is being used to target, arrest, detain, deport and return illegal workers in takeaways, fast food drivers, beauty salons and car washes.
The number of illegal working arrests in the UK has now increased by 63% as Immigration Enforcement carries out its highest level of raids in British history.
Bosses who hire illegal workers could now face up to five years in prison, fines of £60,000 per illegal worker and have their businesses close under new laws expanding right to work checks to gig economy.
The UK Government says it is working closely with industry partners including food delivery companies Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats.
The Home Office also said it has implemented a data-sharing agreement with the firms to share locations of hotels used for asylum accommodation to reveal asylum seekers working illegally as delivery riders.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, said: “Illegal working creates an incentive for people attempting to arrive in this country illegally. No more.
“Those found to be illegally working in beauty salons, car washes and as delivery drivers will be arrested, detained and removed from this country.
“I will do whatever it takes to secure Britain’s borders.”
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