Dover Border Force official ‘is arrested for being an illegal immigrant’
- A Border Force official was arrested on suspicion of being an illegal migrant
- The man, aged in his late 30s, is understood have originated from the Balkans
- For over 20 years he has lived in the UK; training and working for Home Office
- He is believed to be one of four officers arrested in a separate corruption case
An official working for the UK Border Force has been arrested on suspicion of being an illegal migrant himself.
The man was detained while working for the Home Office agency responsible for protecting the UK’s borders.
His bosses are understood to have acted quickly as soon as doubts were raised about his status, The Sun reports.
The case emerges as the government scrambles to clamp down on illegal migration, with 45,000 passages on small boats this year.
Migrants are helped by RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution) lifeboat before being taken to a beach in Dungeness
Border Force staff are in the midst of industrial action, with strikes at six airports this morning.
The suspect is understood to be in his late 30s and arrived in the UK around 20 years ago from the Balkans.
It is alleged he lied on paperwork about his origins in order to be granted the right to remain in the UK, later going on to work for the Home Office.
During the 1990s, hundreds of Albanian men falsely claimed to be Kosovan in order to gain UK asylum.
The same man is also believed to be among four Border Force staff who were arrested over a separate incident on December 6.
The four were detained on suspicion of misconduct in public office and conspiracy to steal.
The Manston immigration short-term holding facility located in Thanet, Kent
Three were arrested at the Western Jet Foil immigration centre in Dover, Kent, while a fourth was apprehended elsewhere.
Officers from the Home Office Anti-Corruption Unit carried out the arrests and seized mobile phones and laptops, as well as searching the suspects’ homes.
A Home Office spokesman said: ‘On December 6, the Home Office Anti-Corruption Unit arrested four members of immigration staff on suspicion of misconduct in public office and conspiracy to steal.
‘They have been released pending further investigation and were immediately suspended.
‘One officer arrested as part of the conspiracy had previously been arrested and bailed on immigration offences.
‘We expect the highest standards of our staff.
‘As soon as we are made aware of allegations of wrongdoing, they are rigorously investigated and we do not hesitate in taking decisive action.’
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