A COLEFORD business owner has been handed a £20,000 fine after police arrested three employees who were found to be working illegally in the UK.

The men, aged 19, 21 and 27 from Albania, were arrested last Thursday at Five Star Car Wash at Lower Lane Service Station in Berry Hill as part of Operation Trivium. The European-wide investigation, organised by TISPOL (the European Traffic Police Network), aims to tackle criminals who travel abroad to commit crime.

Brian Tew, director of Simon Smith Retail Limited, who runs the garage, said the car wash is a separate business.

He said: “We are horrified to hear that immigration offences have been committed by our tenant, who we understand to be highly regarded and who owns several hand car wash businesses. We run the petrol forecourt and shop and have no responsibility for who is employed at the car wash. We have made it clear to the owner that he should check that any employees have the right to work there.”

Only two days before police arrested three men, also from Albania, in Lydney who were found to have no right to work in the UK, having entered the country illegally.

Immigration enforcement officers, with the help of Gloucestershire Police, made the arrests at a car wash at Cross Hands following an extensive search of fields in the area around the Lydney by-pass near Hurst Farm. Further back-up from the police helicopter and a police dog team were required after the men initially fled.

The men were aged 27, 29 and 30. All six men picked up in the raids face deportation.

Inspector Steve Norris said: “Working with our partner agencies we have secured the arrests of several people who were illegal immigrants working in the Forest of Dean last week. We will continue to work with our partner agencies to tackle criminality.”

A Home Office spokes-man added: “Working with the police, immigration enforcement will take every opportunity to identify those with no right to be here and remove them from the country.”

The operation involved intelligence-led patrols, warrants and roadside checks.