Overview
- Home Office officials said Operation Equalize led to 171 arrests nationwide over seven days last month, with 60 detainees held for removal from the UK.
- Arrests highlighted by authorities included two Chinese nationals at The Jade Wok in Solihull, four Bangladeshi and Indian riders in Newham, and three Indian riders in Norwich.
- Ministers reported a sharp rise in enforcement over the past year, citing more than 11,000 visits and around 8,000 arrests, as part of efforts to deter illegal migration.
- Officials are working with Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats to curb account sharing through stronger identity controls, including randomised facial‑recognition checks, and by sharing asylum‑hotel locations to track hotspots.
- Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood observed an operation in Streatham as the government emphasised new penalties of up to five years in prison, £60,000 fines per illegal worker and potential business closures for employers who fail checks.