
An asylum hotel was swarmed by immigration officers in a crackdown on illegal delivery drivers. One suspect was heard screaming "f*** off" at officials on Sunday as phones and bikes were seized. It comes after several asylum seekers were suspected of working for Just Eat despite receiving government handouts-at the expense of the taxpayer.
The Sun reports that the operation spanned several hours, with more than 20 officers descending on the site in stab vests, taking screen grabs from phones before multiple arrests were made. After the Express revealed the illegal trade last week, Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats bosses were hauled before the Home Office. Firms have now vowed to crack down on illegal workers.
Promising to crack down on the illegal trade, Yvette Cooper said: "We have, today, secured important commitments from major food delivery providers, including Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats, for daily facial recognition checks for drivers that work with them."
The Home Secretary continued: "We are also stepping up our enforcement in this area, with plans to seize electric bikes kept outside asylum accommodation, and more raids on hotels or dispersed accommodation where illegal working is suspected to be a problem."
Meanwhile, Tory Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp told the Sun: "I want to see police action like this happening at scale every day until illegal working has been eradicated.
"This practice creates a pull factor to the UK for illegal immigrants in Europe, and endangers women who may receive a delivery from an unvetted and unknown illegal immigrant who has only just arrived by small boat.
"Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats should be ashamed of themselves and should feel the full force of the law for what they've done."
The promise to crack down on illegal delivery drivers comes after the Express revealed the practice was rife at a three-star central London hotel last week.
When our reporter tried to interview masked asylum seekers leaving the hotel on e-bikes, one man threatened to violently assault him, shouting: "I'll bust your head."
Asylum seekers cannot work in the UK for at least a year when waiting for claims to be processed, and even those given permits cannot work as delivery drivers under Home Office rules.
Just Eat said it would conduct checks daily instead of monthly, and "fully supports" Government efforts to tackle illegal working.
Deliveroo said it takes a "zero tolerance approach to anyone abusing our platform".
Uber Eats said it is "committed to tackling illegal working and welcome continued collaboration with industry and the Home Office."
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