Five people arrested on suspicion of using college to facilitate immigration offences.

Five people have been arrested in a series of coordinated raids targeting a college suspected of being used for UK immigration crime.

The raids were at residential addresses in Saltwell Road, Gateshead, and Moorside Court, Newcastle, as well as at the college, in Park Road, Felling. 

The arrests in Gateshead and Newcastle follow an extensive investigation into Castle College , Park Road, Felling, Gateshead.

The college, which offers language, business and computing courses, described as a privately-owned institute of further education, had its licence to enroll overseas students suspended.

For genuine students arriving for their studies this morning, UK Border Agency Officers we on hand to give advice.
Four of five that were arrested were senior staff at the college, a 37-year-old Pakistani woman, a 41-year-old Pakistani man, a 37-year-old Pakistani man and a 33-year-old Bangladeshi man were held on suspicion of using to college to facilitate immigration offences.
Another Nigerian woman, was arrested for overstaying her UK visa.

A substantial amount of cash was also seized from a safe at the college.
Jeremy Oppenheim, regional director for the UK Border Agency, said:
‘The UK Border Agency takes immigration crime very seriously and will not hesitate to take the strongest possible action against those involved.

‘We have dedicated teams of UK Border Agency investigators working with police officers across the country to protect our border and prosecute those criminals who undermine and abuse our immigration control.’

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