THREE suspected illegal workers were removed from their business premises and told to report to an immigration office as part of a police campaign.

Searches have taken place across the city by the Worcester Safety Neighbourhood Team to clamp down on illegal workers and mobile crime.

The suspected illegal workers in Worcester failed to follow immigration registration and reporting requirements and were dealt with as part of Operation Trivium 7.

PC Dave Wise of Worcester Cathedral SNT said: "As part of our involvement with Operation Trivium in Worcester, we will be conducting voluntary checks at local businesses believed to be employing illegal workers.

"This work will be conducted in partnership with Home Office Immigration Enforcement Officers and will be intelligence led, based on current information provided by members of the public."

Police visited businesses believed to be employing illegal workers on Monday and yesterday (Wednesday November 23) as part of the operation organised by National Roads Policing Intelligence Forum.

The operation is taking place from Monday to Friday this week.

PC Wise continued: "Immigration Enforcement Officers have been able to gather useful intelligence and will consider the most appropriate action in the coming days and weeks, which may involve arrests leading to prosecution and / or removal."

PC Mark Broughton of Worcester Cathedral SNT added: "This is an operation which targets criminality and not the community. We want to make it clear that borders are no barriers to justice."

A European Operations Control Centre, based in the West Midlands, will be staffed throughout the week.

Representatives of Europol will be based in the West Midlands throughout the week, with police officers from Romania and Lithuania available to check police systems in drivers' home countries to verify details supplied by foreign nationals.

The EOCC is working with UK partner organisations including the National Crime Agency, Home Office Immigration, Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs and Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency.

The start of the seventh operation follows the sixth campaign in May which saw more than 7,000 enforcement actions in the UK including penalties, warnings and arrests for violent crime, illegal immigration and even murder.

Detective Superintendent Paul Keasey, head of the National Roads Policing Intelligence Forum, said: “Over the past three years, Operation Trivium has proved highly effective in disrupting criminal networks active in human trafficking, modern slavery, illegal immigration and a wide range of other crimes."

Owners of several businesses were advised on immigration legislation and warned that they can be fined up to £20000 for a breech.

Diamond Hand Car Wash on Bromwich Road in St Johns, Worcester was visited by police and the Home Office on Monday and the manager of the car wash was worried what impression the extensive search would create.

He said: "There were four or five police cars inside ( the car park) and two outside, I was worried what the neighbours would think.

"They visited once just before the vote (EU Referendum) in June but did not find anything wrong the same as when they came this time.

"Last time it was just local police, this time the Home Office was there."