What Happened?
Early on Thursday 11 June 2026, Immigration Enforcement officers carried out planned raids at two DPD parcel depots — one in Basingstoke, Hampshire and one in Newbury, Berkshire. The operation followed weeks of intelligence gathering, and officers turned up at both sites to carry out right to work checks.
Officers carried out right to work checks on over 100 people across the two sites. By the end of the operation, nine people had been arrested on suspicion of immigration offences — eight at the Basingstoke depot and one at Newbury.
Who Was Arrested?
Of the nine people arrested, seven were Indian nationals, one was a Ghanaian national, and one was a Pakistani national. All nine have been placed on immigration bail with strict conditions while further checks take place.
| Location | Workers Checked | Arrests |
|---|---|---|
| DPD Basingstoke | Part of 100+ total | 8 |
| DPD Newbury | Part of 100+ total | 1 |
| Total | 100+ | 9 |
If the nine arrested are found to have been working unlawfully, they will be removed from the UK. Right now, all nine remain on immigration bail while the Home Office completes its investigation.
What About the Employer?
This is the part many people overlook — it isn't only the workers who face consequences. Any employer found to be in breach of the law can receive a fine of up to £60,000 per illegal worker. Immigration Enforcement will now investigate to establish who the liable party is for employing these individuals — whether that's DPD directly, a staffing agency, or a subcontractor in the delivery chain.
The operation was described as the result of "intense planning and intelligence gathering", and forms part of a wider government push to clamp down on illegal working in the gig economy and delivery sector — areas where zero-hours and subcontracted arrangements have historically made right to work checks harder to enforce.
This Is Part of a Much Bigger Crackdown
If this story feels familiar, that's because it isn't an isolated case. Since July 2024, the government has reported a 50% surge in enforcement visits and arrests, with raids hitting recycling depots, solar farms, factories, car washes, nail bars, and delivery companies across the country.
Just weeks before the DPD raids, 15 illegal workers were arrested at a solar farm in Bristol, and more than 20 people were detained over two days of raids across the West Midlands targeting delivery drivers. The message from the Home Office has been consistent: illegal working enforcement is now at its highest level in British history, and the delivery and gig economy sectors are firmly in focus.
Why This Matters If You're a Visa Holder in the UK
If you're in the UK on a Student visa, Graduate visa, Skilled Worker visa, or any other visa with work conditions attached, this story is a reminder of something very important: where and how you work matters just as much as whether you're allowed to work at all.
- Your employer has seen and verified your right to work documents (passport, BRP, or eVisa share code)
- You are working within the hours allowed on your visa — for example, Student visa holders are usually limited to 20 hours per week during term time
- The job itself is permitted under your visa category — some visas restrict the type of work you can do
- If you're working through an agency or subcontractor, that company is also carrying out proper checks — not just the brand name on the building
- Your visa status is current and not expired, including any conditions tied to extensions or switches
Delivery and courier work has become a common way for people to earn extra income — but it's also one of the sectors under the most scrutiny right now. If you are working for a delivery company, courier service, or any business operating on a subcontractor model, make sure your right to work has been properly checked and recorded, regardless of who is actually paying you.
What If You're Worried About Your Own Situation?
If reading this has made you unsure about your current visa status, your permitted working hours, or whether your job is compliant with your visa conditions, the most important thing is to get clarity before any issue arises — not after.
Check Your Visa Conditions
Log into your UKVI account and review your current visa conditions — including expiry date, work hour limits, and any restrictions on the type of employment.
Confirm Your Employer Has Done Right to Work Checks
A proper employer will ask to see and copy your documents before you start work, and repeat checks if your visa is time-limited. If this never happened, it's worth raising with HR or asking questions about how the business is structured.
Speak to a Professional If You're Unsure
If you're not sure whether your current work arrangement is compliant with your visa, it's far better to get advice and make changes early than to wait until an enforcement visit happens.
Frequently Asked Questions
They are typically placed on immigration bail with strict reporting conditions while the Home Office investigates. If it's confirmed they were working unlawfully, they face removal from the UK.
Yes. The Home Office investigates to find the "liable party" — this could be the main company, an agency, or a subcontractor in the chain, depending on who was responsible for employing the individual and carrying out checks.
An employer found in breach of the law can be fined up to £60,000 per illegal worker. This is a civil penalty and is separate from any criminal proceedings that may follow in serious cases.
Checks like this focus on whether someone has the right to work at all, and whether the employer has verified that properly. If your visa is valid and your employer has carried out correct checks, routine enforcement visits should not affect you. The risk arises when checks haven't been done properly, or when someone is working beyond what their visa permits.
Yes. The government has reported a significant rise in enforcement visits and arrests since July 2024, with a particular focus on the gig economy, delivery sector, and subcontracted workforces.
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