Five illegal immigrants were found in a raid on a Huddersfield recycling firm.
Now all five men face deportation from the UK after the Immigration Enforcement operation in Huddersfield.
Immigration officers acted on a tip-off and raided Nnenna Textiles Ltd in Paddock and found the men hiding in various places through the building.
They were arrested at the firm’s base at Granville Mills, Millgate.
Once located, the men, along with all other staff at the business, were questioned to check if they had the right to live and work in the UK.
All five of the suspects - three from Nigeria, aged 41, 45 and 47, a 41-year-old from the Democratic Republic of Congo, and a 43-year-old from Liberia - were found to be in the UK illegally.
The raid happened earlier this month but no details were disclosed until today.
The 41-year-old Nigerian man was removed from the UK on February 17 while the 45-year-old is detained pending his removal. The 47-year-old has been granted temporary release while his case is progressed. He will have to report regularly to the Home Office during this time.
Steps are being taken to remove the remaining two men from the UK and they will also have to report regularly to the Home Office during this time.
Nnenna Textiles Ltd was served a notice warning they are liable for a financial penalty of up to £20,000 per illegal worker found unless evidence is provided that legally-required pre-employment checks were carried out, such as seeing a passport or an official Home Office document confirming permission to work. This is a potential total penalty of £100,000.
The firm was set up in 1997 and collects old clothing for recycling. Staff collect old clothing from across West Yorkshire as well as Greater Manchester, the Midlands, Cheshire and Nottinghamshire.
The Examiner contacted a number given for the firm but no comment was given.
Deputy Director Anita Bailey, from Immigration Enforcement, said: “This successful operation reflects our ongoing work to identify and arrest people who abuse the UK’s immigration system.
“All of our operations are intelligence led and I would encourage people with detailed and specific information about illegal immigration to contact us.
“Our efforts to tackle illegal working will not stop. Using illegal labour is not a victimless crime. It defrauds the taxpayer, undercuts honest businesses and cheats legitimate job seekers of employment opportunities.
“Employers who ignore the rules, and do not carry out the simple checks to ensure their employees have the right to work in the UK, will face the consequences.”
