Workers Flee South London Site as Home Office Stages Immigration Raid
Video shows workers running into woodland and hiding in formwork at the 559-home Crayford site. Contractor Carey London says those encountered were engaged via subcontractors.
- Section
- Construction
- Author
- By Grace Kim
- Filed
- Length
- 2 min read
Key takeaways
- Home Office staged an immigration enforcement raid at the Crayford site in South London last week.
- The development for London Square comprises 15 blocks with 559 new homes, with Carey London as main contractor.
- Carey London confirmed none of the individuals encountered were its direct employees; they were engaged through the subcontracting chain.
Construction workers ran from a major building site in South London last week after the Home Office staged an immigration enforcement raid.
Footage shared with the Construction Enquirer shows a stream of workers fleeing into nearby woodland to escape the authorities. Others can be seen hiding in concrete formwork on the site in a bid to evade officers.
The site sits in Crayford and is being developed by London Square. Carey London is the main contractor, overseeing site infrastructure work and reinforced concrete frame construction for 15 blocks that will contain 559 new homes.
Carey London Ltd confirmed the enforcement operation in a statement. "We are aware of the recent Home Office immigration enforcement operation at the Crayford construction site," the company said.
The contractor stressed that none of the individuals encountered by the Home Office worked directly for it. "We can confirm that none of the individuals encountered by the Home Office were employed by Carey London Ltd, the individuals concerned were engaged through the subcontracting chain," the statement read.
Carey London said it conducts right to work checks on all of its own employees and contractually requires all subcontractors to carry out the same checks. "We can confirm that all Carey London Ltd employees have the right to work in the UK and our subcontractors at Crayford have also confirmed that their staff have satisfied the necessary legal checks," the company said.
"All teams are co-operating with the Home Office to enable them to complete their investigation."
The contractor pointed to its Ethical Labour Code of Conduct, which it said sets minimum standards for both Carey London Ltd and its supply chain partners. "Underpinned by our strict anti-slavery policy, it reflects our commitment to treating everyone with dignity and respect, complying with applicable laws, and protecting and promoting human rights throughout our operations in the UK," the statement said. "We expect these standards to be upheld at every level of our supply chain."
The incident puts the subcontracting chain at the 559-home Crayford development under scrutiny while the Home Office completes its investigation.
Source: Construction Enquirer
