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Immigration trio jailed after scam
Three offenders who were involved in trafficking illegal immigrant workers into jobs at a Clay Cross firm have been jailed.
Derby Crown Court heard, on Friday, how former director Amjad Iqbal, of Chesterfield Poultry Ltd, on Bridge Street, Clay Cross, Patrick McCrudden and Catherine Anderson worked together to get illegal immigrants into the UK.
Steven Perrian, prosecuting, said: "McCrudden, Anderson and Iqbal, together, were involved in the exploitation of non-EU citizens by providing them, for a price, with forged identity documents to come into the country and work at Chesterfield Poultry."
The court heard how illegal workers from Pakistan, Iran and Moldovia were found at the poultry factory when it was raided by Derbyshire Constabulary and the UK Border Agency, in July, 2008.
Mr Perrian described the operation as "sophisticated and prolonged".
Iqbal (41), of Parkfield, Chorleywood, Hertfordshire, denied facilitating illegal immigration but was found guilty by a jury after a trial.
McCrudden (43), of Marland Way, Manchester, pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiring with others to facilitate in obtaining forged identity documents and admitted three charges of possessing false identity documents.
Anderson (53), of Beech Court, Lime Close, Salford, pleaded guilty to one charge of conspiring with others to facilitate in obtaining forged identity documents.
Those defending the accused told the court McCrudden was remorseful, Iqbal was highly thought of by many, and Anderson's role had been at a lower level.
But Judge John Burgess said: "Not only were the immigration rules bypassed but the foreign workers buying these documents were exploited."
He sentenced Iqbal and McCrudden to four years in custody each and disqualified them from being company directors for seven years and Anderson was jailed for three-and-a-half years.
UK Border Agency inspector, Sam Bullimore, said: "These offenders exploited others for their own financial gain. The business they dealt in was a modern form of slavery."
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Wednesday 23 May 2012
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