EXCLUSIVE: Take a look behind the scenes of a Home Office immigration raid

EXCLUSIVE: Take a look behind the scenes of a Home Office immigration raid
Weed farm landscape
Josh Kaplan

By Josh Kaplan


Published: 09/07/2021

- 17:10

Updated: 14/02/2023

- 11:05

Individuals were charged with offences including producing cannabis and money-laundering

This week, as part of a cross agency operation between Border Force and local police, Immigration Enforcement officers arrested several Albanian nationals and charged them with offences including Cannabis production.

GB News was given an exclusive inside look into operation Kaluga, a dawn raid targeting organised immigration crime.


Six addresses across South and West Yorkshire were simultaneously raided by police and Immigration enforcement officers who seized cash, fake identity documents, cars and drugs.

Several large-scale Cannabis production facilities were all discovered at the addresses leading to seven charges of Conspiracy to produce Cannabis. In addition, four charges of several Identity document offences and, two charges of money laundering.

All individuals have been remanded in custody and were due to appear at Bradford Magistrates Court on Friday, 9th July.

Home Secretary Priti Patel has this week signed a new agreement to remove Albanian nationals who have no right to be in the UK, as part of a two-day visit to Tirana.

The signing comes days after the Home Secretary’s controversial plans to overhaul the immigration system were laid before parliament in theNationality and Borders Bill.

The new agreement, signed alongside Albanian Minister of Interior Bledar Cuci, will grant the Home Office extra powers to the existing arrangements the UK has to remove Albanian nationals who have no right to be in the UK.

This includes failed asylum seekers, foreign national offenders, and individuals who have overstayed their visas.

Albanian nationals make up the largest number of foreign national offenders in UK prisons totalling 16% of the FNO population.

Speaking from Tirana, Home Secretary Priti Patel said:

“I am determined to fix our immigration system, clamp down on illegal entry, and remove those with no right to be in UK as swiftly as possible.

“Our New Plan for Immigration, coupled with this new agreement, will speed up the removal of Albanian nationals who have committed crimes in the U.K. and overstayed their welcome.

“I make no apology for removing dangerous foreign criminals to protect the British people and, so far this year, more than 1000 foreign criminals have been deported, with more being removed every single week.”

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