THREE immigrants have been found working illegally at Colchester station by UK Border Agency officers.

The trio were discovered in an enforcement operation by the UK Border Agency designed to tackle illegal working, sham marriages and organised immigration crime.

Officers acting on a tip off visited the station and arrested them as they arrived for overnight shifts cleaning trains on August 20.

Two of the offenders – a 34-year-old man and a 28-year-old woman from Namibia - were removed from the UK five days later after overstaying their visas.

The third offender, a 36-year-old Kenyan man, 2was also arrested for overstaying his visa and remains in UK Border Agency detention while efforts are made to remove him from the country.

All three offenders were agency workers and not directly employed by the rail operator.

Inspector Cheryl Daldry, from the border agency’s local immigration team for Suffolk and North-East Essex, said: “Our enforcement visits are always based on intelligence and we appeal to the public to let us know if they have information about suspected immigration offenders.”

And Damian Green, the Immigration Minister, said: “The Government has tasked the UK Border Agency with carrying out an intense period of enforcement activity over the summer.

“We are determined to make it harder than ever for illegal immigrants to come to the UK.

“Illegal immigration puts pressure on public services, local communities and legitimate businesses at a time when this country cannot afford it.

“That’s why the UK Border Agency is working to cut out illegal employment, sham marriages, bogus colleges and organised traffickers, being used by foreign nationals to try and stay in the UK illegally.”