Axed police catch 1,000 illegal immigrants

Oct 29 2010 by Craig Robertson, Dumfries Standard Friday

NEARLY 1,000 illegal immigrants have been caught by a specialist police unit that’s set to be scrapped.

Figures obtained by the Standard show the extent of the policing void which would be left at Stranraer and Cairnryan if the UK Border Agency goes ahead with plans to pull the plug on funding at the Ports Unit on November 23.

They show that since April 2007:

900 illegal immigrants from China, Pakistan, Iraq and Ecuador have been stopped entering UK mainland through the region; 222 of those were reported for criminal matters;

18 cases of illegal immigrant facilitation or people trafficking have been discovered – one of the highest in Scotland and;

424 case of drugs possession have been uncovered.

The police figures show that one of the most notable cases was a female illegal immigrant from Bolivia who was caught with cocaine that had a street value of £350,000.

She was jailed for six years and will be deported later.

The UK Border Agency currently pays the wages of three Dumfries and Galloway cops at the unit, but, if the funding is cut, they will return to normal duties.

Chief Constable Patrick Shearer has already branded their plans as “fundamentally wrong”.

And yesterday, the Standard’s figures led to political pressure being lumped on the UK Border Agency to reverse their decision.

SNP group leader Rob Davidson said: “During the debate on this issue at the last full council meeting, I highlighted the lack of any risk assessment by the UK Border Agency on the impact of their proposals. It has taken the Standard’s own investigation to prove that there is a real issue here. In light of these facts the Home Secretary must reconsider before it is too late.”

SNP South of Scotland MSP Alasdair Morgan said: “These figures clearly demonstrate the need for the UK Border Agency to continue funding a presence at Stranraer.

Labour have also reacted strongly to the figures and yesterday MP Russell Brown said it proved the Government was “giving the green light for criminal gangs to increase their operations”.

He said: “These figures show just how irresponsible it is for the UK Government to withdraw the ports police funding.

“The Government is taking a dangerous gamble with our safety.”

Dumfrieshire Conservative MP David Mundell has been called upon by Labour to intervene in his Government’s decision.

Yesterday, Mr Mundell told the Standard: “The Secretary of State for Scotland has already raised this issue directly with the Home Secretary and I have met with the Chief Constable of Dumfries and Galloway and the Head of UK Border Agency Scotland. I will be meeting Home Office Minister Damian Green in the next few days to go over the submissions that the police and the council have made.”

The UK Border Agency have said the gap left by the police at Stranraer will be picked up by their staff in Northern Ireland.

Yesterday, Detective Chief Inspector Graham Edwards said: “Stranraer and Cairnryan are unique in that the sailings are UK to UK, but act as a natural nexus point for the Common Travel Area.

“This obviously has an impact on our operations, but Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary will always police the Ports as efficiently and effectively as we can.”