Nine arrested in immigration crackdown on fishing vessels
The Home Office said raids took place in Fraserburgh, Mallaig, Oban and Barra in July.
Nine people have been arrested by immigration enforcement officers as part of action targeting fishing vessels in Scottish ports.
Working alongside the Border Security Command, officers boarded 34 fishing vessels in response to reports of suspected modern slavery, illegal working, labour exploitation and wider criminality within the UK commercial fishing industry.
The arrests were made at the ports of Fraserburgh in Aberdeenshire and Mallaig on the west coast in the Highlands.
Those arrested include four Philippine nationals who have since voluntarily returned to their home country, and five Sri Lankan nationals.
The Home Office said civil penalty referral notices were issued and a liable employer could be fined up to £60,000 per worker if it is found they employed illegal workers and failed to conduct the relevant pre-employment checks.
Anna Turley, the UK’s minister for border security and asylum, said: “This Government is tackling illegal working and ensuring unscrupulous employers are not exploiting vulnerable individuals and undercutting legitimate business.
“That is why in Scotland illegal working visits and arrests were at record levels in 2025, and have more than doubled across the UK since the election.”
Immigration Enforcement’s threat response and volume crime unit visited the ports of Fraserburgh, Mallaig, Oban and Barra between July 26 and 30, following intelligence relating to a suspected rogue fishing fleet operator.
The operation was supported by Police Scotland, the Exploitation and Modern Slavery Team and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.
Adam San, assistant director of the Immigration Enforcement unit, said: “I want to thank the team of officers who dealt with this operation with professionalism and sensitivity.
“Immigration Enforcement deal with threats across the UK and this is not limited to illegal activity occurring solely on land.
“These arrests demonstrate our ability to tackle all illegal working, in whatever form it takes.”
The Home Office said in the first six months of 2026, Immigration Enforcement delivered the most successful start to a year on record for illegal working enforcement activity in the UK, with a 31% increase on visits and a 20% rise in arrests compared to the same period in 2025.
From October, companies hiring gig economy and zero-hours workers – including those in the delivery sector – will be legally required to carry out checks to confirm anyone working in their name is eligible to work in the UK.
Those who fail to do so will face penalties including fines of up to £60,000 per worker, director disqualifications and potential prison sentences of up to five years.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has announced she will double the Immigration Enforcement budget by 2028/29 and boost workforce numbers by 60%.
A Scottish White Fish Producers’ Association (SWFPA) spokesman said: “SWFPA fully supports action against exploitation and illegal employment, but it is important that quite different circumstances are not conflated.
“Not all of the vessels involved in this operation were actively fishing – some were undertaking guard duties in the North Sea.
“Nor does the term ‘illegal workers’ necessarily mean that the overseas crew concerned were themselves in the UK illegally.
“In some cases, the issue is the way in which they have been deployed. Crew may be entitled to work on vessels, but not within the 12-mile limit.
“That is an important distinction, both for the individuals concerned and for the reputation of the wider Scottish fishing industry.”