Couple held in East End in UK Border Agency swoop on ‘sham’ marriages
A couple have been arrested in East London as part of a wide investigation into the organisation of ‘sham’ marriages.
Police and immigration officers were involved in an early morning raid at 7.30am today at an address in Willis Street, Poplar.
A 25-year-old Bangladeshi man and 46-year-old Portuguese woman were arrested on suspicion of facilitating non–EU nationals into the UK.
The investigation centred on a number of weddings due to take place at registry offices across London.
“We are cracking down on sham marriages,” said Det Ins Karl Amos from the London Immigration Crime Team.
You may also want to watch:
“We suspect the sole purpose of these marriages is to avoid immigration controls and stay in the UK.
“Our aim is to identify the organisers who profit from and fuel the demand for these weddings.”
Most Read
- 1 Patient group set up over allegations of 'poor care' at Royal London
- 2 Leyton Orient boss McAnuff explains the reasoning for dropping Jamie Turley to the bench
- 3 Fire crews fight blaze at pub in Hackney Wick
- 4 Mother and son taken to hospital during "severe" fire in Bow
- 5 Former Bagel Factory turned into creative studios to rent out
- 6 Volunteers take food for Ramadan to neighbours on Isle of Dogs
- 7 Canary Wharf floats idea for new green restaurant on water
- 8 London elections 2021: City and East candidates make case for your vote
- 9 Jailed: drug dealer who rammed police with stolen car to escape
- 10 It was a big opportunity missed for Leyton Orient says boss Jobi McAnuff
New, tougher government rules on non-EU immigration make it a criminal offence to be in Britain through deception or to facilitate illegal entry.
A sham marriage is defined as a non-European marrying someone from Britain or the Continent as a means of gaining residency and the right to work and claim benefits.
