Officers detained people working in restaurants and caravan sites across the capital this year
More than 1,250 illegal workers have been arrested in raids across London since the start of 2026, the Home Office has said. They were caught by Immigration Enforcement teams as part of a UK-wide clampdown that’s seen activity double in the last two years.
Officers detained 15 people at a Lebanese restaurant in Westminster over multiple visits, leading the venue to have its licence revoked in February. A further 18 people suspected of illegally working in construction and cleaning roles at a Bromley caravan site were taken into custody in March.
Morenike Weinand, Immigration, Enforcement and Compliance (ICE) lead for Central London, said: “Our enforcement activity continues day in, day out, across London. We want our communities to know we are cracking down on this illegal activity and ensuring businesses play by the rules.”
The first half of the year saw the number of illegal working visits in the UK jump to 7,270, a 31 per cent increase on the same period in 2025, according to the Home Office. These led to 4,756 arrests, bringing the total to 17,000 since July 2024.
There has also been a 50 per cent rise in said illegal workers being returned to their home countries, a total of 2,357. The new figures come after a week-long, multi-agency crackdown on organised immigration crime across the UK in June.
Alongside 39 police forces, Immigration Enforcement visited over 900 businesses and made 269 immigration-related arrests, 57 of which were linked to small boat arrivals. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: “Illegal working undercuts honest workers and legal businesses.
“This government has put more resources into Immigration Enforcement to crack down on it. This surge in enforcement activity takes us to the highest level in British history. Illegal workers and rogue employers have nowhere to hide.”
Nine of these arrests were made at residential addresses in Southall and Wembley, where suspects were thought to be working illegally as delivery drivers. From October, companies hiring gig economy and zero-hours workers 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 could face hefty penalties, including fines of up to £60,000 per worker, director disqualifications and potential prison sentences of up to five years. The Home Secretary has announced that she will double the Immigration Enforcement budget by 2028/29 and boost workforce numbers by 60 per cent.
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