The first migrant to be convicted of illegally working for Deliveroo has been fined just two hours’ worth of pay.
Abdullah Merez, 23, admitted that he had been illicitly delivering food for the company after being caught in Woking, Surrey, on May 2 this year.
However, the 23-year-old was given a conditional discharge by Justices of the Peace after they heard that he was in debt and that the offence was his first, according to The Sun.
Merez was then ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £26, which equates to roughly two hours worth of pay for a Deliveroo driver, and will be back in court if the money is not received by September 2.
The newspaper also reported that it was undisclosed whether Merez was in Britain illegally or on a visa that did not allow him to receive paid work, such as a tourist or volunteer visa.
But his conviction is the first of its kind after a major crackdown by the Home Office, who announced they had arrested nearly 300 asylum seekers working illegally for delivery firms last month.
Some 1,780 people were stopped and spoken to as part of the operation, which was described as a ‘nationwide intensification week’ and targeted illegal working hotspots across the UK between July 20 and 27.
Of these, around 280 were arrested in areas including Hillingdon in north-west London, Dumfries in Scotland, and Birmingham.
Some 89 have been detained pending removal from the country and 53 are now having their asylum support reviewed, which the Government said could result in their support being suspended or withdrawn.
As well as the arrests, 51 businesses including car washes and restaurants were issued with penalty notices that could see them handed hefty fines if they are found to have hired people without the right to work in the UK.
Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat have pledged to ramp up facial verification and fraud checks over the coming months to prevent people illegally working as riders without permission from Government.
The Sun reported that Merez was the first migrant in the past six months to arrive at court while facing charges for working illegally as a delivery driver.
They say at least three others have been charged, but have since failed to appear for potential sentencing.
Asylum seekers in the UK are normally barred from work while their claim is being processed, though permission can be applied for after a year of waiting.
Border Security Minister, Dame Angela Eagle, said of the recent Home Office crackdown: ‘Illegal working undermines our border security and we’re cracking down hard on it.
‘That’s why we have intensified our enforcement activity right across the UK to crack down on those who think they can evade immigration and employment laws in the UK.’
Eddy Montgomery, Enforcement Director at the Home Office, added that officers were taking action ‘around the clock’ against ‘those who think they can get away with working illegally’.
Officials had indicated there would be an increase in work to target areas of suspected activity, as ministers hope to tackle the ‘pull factors’ attracting migrants to the UK.
Immigration enforcement teams will receive £5million from the £100million in funding already announced for border security, aimed at increasing visits by officers in these areas over the coming months, it said.
The government also recently announced that it would share information about asylum hotel locations with food delivery firms in a bid to disrupt such hotspots.
Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Philp, said the Conservatives wanted to strip asylum seekers of their status and deport them if they work illegally, and claimed ‘this story only happened’ because he ‘exposed what Labour refused to see’.
The Tory politician visited an asylum hotel in central London and posted a video showing bicycles fitted with delivery boxes for Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats parked outside.
Days later, the Home Office said it had called in all three companies for a dressing down – and the meeting led to pledges to increase the use of ‘facial recognition’ systems on rider apps, such as those used by banks to confirm someone’s identity.
However, Deliveroo was refused access to hotel location data despite assurances it would be treated confidentially, The Times reported.
Shadow Home Office minister Katie Lam said at the time: ‘The fact that the Home Office is refusing to help them just shows how topsy-turvy this country’s approach to migration has become.
‘Crossing the Channel illegally is a crime. Working here illegally is a crime. Too many people are brazenly breaking the rules and it’s a disgrace that the Home Office is aiding and abetting them.’
A Deliveroo spokesperson told the Daily Mail: ‘Deliveroo takes a zero tolerance approach to illegal working on our platform and we fully support the Government’s ongoing enforcement activity.
‘We are always happy to work with public authorities to support their investigations.’
A Home Office spokesperson said: ‘Illegal working undermines legitimate businesses, drives down local wages, and supports organised immigration crime.
‘Hundreds of arrests have recently been made across the UK during a targeted operation against individuals working unlawfully for delivery companies, supported by a new agreement with the firms to share information which will better help us tackle illegal working.
‘Since coming to power, enforcement action nationwide has increased, with raids, arrests and fines all up by around 50% on the previous twelve months, and we will be stepping up that action further in the year ahead.’
