LONDON, Jan. 13 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news:

* Recordnumber of arrestsandraidsof illegalworkers * 1,320 raids in Wales lead to 649 arrests * Dodgy businesses including car washes, nail bars and barber shops targetedalongsidesweeping reformsannounced by the Home Secretaryto cut illegal migration

Illegal workingarrestsandraidshave reached the highest level in British history thanks torelentless activityby the Home Office's Immigration Enforcement teams.

Latest figures reveal the number of raidshavesoaredby 77%in the UKsince thegovernment came into power, leading to an 83% rise inarrests(July 2024 to end of December 2025).

Over17,400raidswere made to dodgy businesses-such as nail bars, car washes,barbersand takeaway shops- targetingthoseattemptingtoundercuthonestworkers and hide in plainsight.

The major uplift, whichled tomore than12,300arrests,wasmade possible by a £5m funding boost last yearfor Immigration Enforcement, to targetandpursueillegal working criminality.

In Wales, 1,320 raids were carried out in 2025, leading to 649 arrests - a 103% and 85% rise respectively compared to 2024.

The crackdown on illegal working builds on this government's work to restore order to the immigration system and end the lure of illegal working that gangs use to sell spaces on small boats.

It sits on top of government's work to remove and deport 50,000illegal migrants- a 23%increase under this government.

Today's figurescomeafter the Home Secretary set out sweeping reforms to the immigration system - making it less attractive for illegal migrants to come to the UK and easier to deport and remove those with no right to be here.  

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said:  

There is no place for illegal working in our communities.

That is why we have surged enforcement activity to the highest level in British history so illegal migrants in the black economy havenowhereto hide.

I will stop at nothing to restore order and control to our borders.

Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens said:

Illegal working fuels the black economy and hurts law-abiding Welsh businesses.

This government was clear that we will crack down on people and firms who are flouting the rules and we have delivered this with a record year of enforcement activity across Wales.

The new figures come as Immigration Enforcement officers across the UK are now equipped with body worn video technology.

Following the start of the launch in September last year, all teams are nowbenefittingfrom this capability which will help bolster arrests and prosecutions further.

Immigration Compliance and Enforcement Lead for Wales and the West of England, Richard Johnson, said:

Illegal working is against the law and will not be tolerated in our communities.

I'd like to thank my teams for their steadfast efforts to tackle this criminality over the past year and we will continue this momentum throughout 2026 to ensure there is no hiding place from the immigration rules.

During illegal working raids last year, officers visited a range of sectors including restaurants, construction sites and nail bars.

* Three visits to packaging and distribution warehouses in Caldicot on 5 August resulted in eight illegal working arrests of Chinese nationals. Four were detained for their removal from the UK. * A visit to Star Barbers in Porthmadog on 12 September resulted in three illegal working arrests. Two men, of Turkish nationality, were placed on immigration bail and the other, a Swedish man, agreed to leave the UK voluntarily. * On 14 October, a visit to a commercial construction site in Gower, Swansea, led to the arrest of seven Chinese nationals with four detained for removal from the UK.

And through the new Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act, the government is expanding right to workchecks,sotheycoverthe gig, casual,subcontractedand temporary worker economy, ensuringthere is no hiding place forillegal workersto flout the rules.

On top of this, the Organised Immigration Crime Domestic Taskforce is bringing together law enforcement and government partners, including the National Crime Agency, National Police Chiefs Council, Border Security Command and Immigration Enforcement, to use every available tool to identify, disrupt and dismantlecriminal smuggling gangsoperatingin the UK.

Over the last 12 months, there has been a 33% surge in disruptions related to migrant smuggling - with nearly 4,000 disruptions since July 2024- anda landmark deal with France means those who arrive on small boats are now being sent back. 

To further ensure people can only work in the UK if they have permission, the government announced last year it will be introducing digital ID, which will be mandatory to provesomeone'sright to work by the end of Parliament.  

This will create a simpler, more consistent way for employers to check someone's eligibility to work. The move will make it harder for illegal migrants to findwork and allow the government to identify rogue business owners who are failing to conduct checks. 

This workcombinedforms part of the government's laser focus to secure Britain's borders and end the false promise of work used to sell spaces on dangerous small boats.

Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.