Britain breaks up major illegal workers ring

More than 30 people have been arrested by British immigration officers after raids to smash a suspected "illegal workers" network…

More than 30 people have been arrested by British immigration officers after raids to smash a suspected "illegal workers" network, it was confirmed today.

Four suspected gang leaders, including one Briton believed to be the ringleader, and about 30 workers believed to be from Eastern Europe were arrested during the raids in West Sussex.

"The raids were designed to break up a multi-million pound illegal workers ring," a Home Office spokeswoman said.

Inspector Mike Price, who led the operation for Britain's Immigration Service, said his officers had arrested their top three targets and uncovered assets ranging from luxury homes to expensive cars owned by the alleged ring leaders of the gang.

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Police also gained a large amount of information about the ring's other activities and other illegal workers, Price said. Those arrested were being questioned by the Immigration Service on today and further charges were likely, a Home Office spokeswoman said.

The raids were carried out last night and this morning on the basis of intelligence gathered from operations in Sussex during the summer in which 60 illegal immigrants were identified and expelled from the country, the spokeswoman said.

Illegal immigration and asylum have caused headaches for Prime Minister Tony Blair's government. Opposition politicians have criticised what they say is a chaotic asylum system and a perceived failure to crack down on bogus asylum seekers.