Stunned workers at a Telford factory today watched on as Border Agency officers rounded up six colleagues suspected to be illegal immigrants.

Around 40 people were working at W Corbett & Co (Galvanizing) Ltd in Halesfield when officers swooped along with police from Telford at about 11.20am. Six people were detained. Two other suspects fled the scene.

A spokesman for the UK Border Agency said: “Intelligence had been received that approximately 15 staff were working at this factory who are known, or suspected to be, without valid leave to remain or leave to enter.

“Intelligence has shown that these staff are working at the factory using false details.

“It is not known if these details were used in order to secure employment or not.”

Decision

Gerard Vaughan, immigration officer and in charge of today’s operaton, said it would take several hours for the screening process to take place for the non-UK workers.

He said a decision would then be made on whether to detain any suspected illegal workers or give them temporary release.

Mr Vaughan said the covert operation had been planned for more than two months.

Illegal workers without documents are sent to an immigration detention centre and deported within a few days, he added.

A spokesman for the Immigration Agency said: “Many nationalities often destroy their documents as soon as they arrive in the UK or even as they travel here.

“If they are then found to be here illegally without their documents it can take several months to deport them,” he said.

The spokesman added: “It is inevitable some illegal immigrants will abscond but we do have a very good success rate.

“On average we remove one illegal immigrant every eight minutes in the UK.”

Anybody who believes they work with illegal workers or an employer who has concerns should contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

By Crime Correspondent Kirsty Smallman