Husband and wife arrested over immigration fraud

A husband and wife from the Black Country have been arrested on suspicion of fraudulently completing more than 250 forms to allow Indian nationals to settle in Britain, it has been revealed.

The alleged scam is believed to have involved large numbers of forged documents pretending applicants were entitled to remain indefinitely.

Immigration minister Damian Green also told the Express & Star the couple, from Penn Fields, Wolverhampton, are being investigated for allegedly completing more than 30 visa applications.

UK Border Agency officers are looking into claims the couple charged £250 per application. They were arrested in September and have been bailed while inquiries continue.

It comes as part of a government crackdown on illegal foreign workers in the West Midlands.

Border Agency officers have spent three months cracking down on sham marriages and illegal workers.

Across the country 800 people have been arrested in 400 operations.

Mr Green said: "We have undertaken 33 operations in the West Midlands and arrested 103 people.

"The couple from Wolverhampton are believed to have completed 250 leave to remain applications from Indian nationals along with 30 visa applications and there is evidence to suggest they charged £250 per application."

Mr Green revealed that in November a new operation will begin to target the "white collar professionals" involved in allowing illegal workers to get jobs.

Three illegal workers were arrested in Wolverhampton after a raid on Salsa Grill in Broad Street, by the UK Border Agency in August. .

And three illegal Iraqi immigrants were also caught working at a Telford car wash run by a Wolverhampton man after immigration officials swooped last month.

By Local Government Editor Daniel Wainwright