UK immigration officers charged with robbing migrants

The five suspects are accused of misconduct in public office and stealing cash from illegals who had crossed the English Channel on boats

Five British immigration officers have appeared in court on charges of stealing cash from illegal migrants who arrived in the UK across the English Channel on small boats, Reuters reported on Thursday.

The officers were charged at Westminster Magistrates’ Court with conspiracy to steal, misconduct in public office, and money laundering for alleged offenses between August 2021 and November 2022.

Prosecutors told the court the defendants worked on Britain’s south coast “dealing with recent arrivals on small boats.” It stated that many of these people arrived “with relatively large sums of money in cash on their person,” and that the officers “worked together to take that money for themselves and share it.”

A sixth defendant faces a single charge of money laundering. All six were granted bail, with their next hearing scheduled at Southwark Crown Court next month. None were asked to enter pleas.

The case comes amid rising tensions over immigration across the UK as illegal boat crossings have become a focal point for many voters and have led to a rise of anti-immigration sentiment. The controversy has further been escalated by increasing criminal activity linked to illegals.

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Earlier this week, The Times reported on a black market in fake skilled-worker visa sponsorships. An investigation found agents charging up to £20,000 ($27,500) to fabricate payroll records for non-existent jobs, allowing migrants to stay in the UK while forcing them into unofficial cash-in-hand work.

The issues have eroded trust in the British government, with polls showing Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s approval rating plummeting while support for Nigel Farage’s opposition right-wing Reform party has risen.

The government has responded by announcing a planned overhaul of its immigration policy in an effort to reduce the number of arriving illegals. In November, the British Home Office also proposed confiscating high-value assets, including vehicles and “bags full of gold rings,” from asylum seekers to help cover the cost of benefits.