TWO illegal immigrants were this week facing deportation after being arrested at car wash businesses in Stourbridge.

Immigration enforcement officers together with West Midlands Police officers swooped on Jet King Car Wash in Hayes Lane, Lye, at around midday on Monday June 22 and arrested a 21-year-old Albanian man for entering the country without leave.

A 42-year-old Pakistani man was later arrested at H2O Hand Car Wash in Birmingham Street, Stourbridge, as he had no leave to remain in the UK.

Both men were detained, pending removal from the UK, and both businesses will be served notices warning they are liable for a fine of up to £20,000 for employing the illegal workers - unless evidence is provided that correct pre-employment checks were carried out, such as seeing a passport or a Home Office document.

Mary Halle, deputy director for Immigration Enforcement in the West Midlands, said: “Employers who flout the law will not be tolerated. Illegal working is unfair on honest employers and takes jobs away from those with a legal right to work.

“I would urge members of the public with detailed information about suspected immigration abuse to get in touch.”

The operations were carried out as part of Operation Trivium - a multi-national police-led operation to tackle foreign national offenders in the UK.

Anyone with information about suspected immigration abuse can contact https://www.gov.uk/report-immigration-crime or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Employers can find out how to prevent illegal working by logging onto https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/employers-illegal-working-penalties.