An ongoing crackdown on illegal workers has caught scores of Indian builders on construction sites.

The latest nationwide Home Office blitz is in response to migrants working as delivery riders.

Construction sites are also being targeted with a focus on “migrants suspected of working illegally whilst in taxpayer funded accommodation or receiving financial support.”

Any business found to be illegally employing someone could face a fine of up to £60,000 per worker, director disqualifications and potential prison sentences of up to five years.

The Government is also tightening the law by making it a legal requirement for all companies to check anyone working for them has the legal right to do so.

Last week during a joint operation with the Metropolitan Police to go after people suspected of working illegally as cash in hand builders, 20 Indian nationals were arrested. This included 16 overstayers, one illegal entrant, one port absconder and two small boat arrivals.

Last month West Midlands teams conducted an operation on Smethwick High Street after receiving intelligence on a major collection point for people suspected of going to work illegally on construction sites.

The team encountered 73 individuals, arresting 26 suspected immigration offenders (24 Indian nationals, one Nepalese national and one Italian national). This led to the detention of 11 Indian nationals.

Director of Enforcement, Compliance and Crime, Eddy Montgomery, said: “Our dedicated Immigration Enforcement officers have been ramping up action to disable illegal working across the board.

“This next step of co-ordinated activity will target those who seek to work illegally in the gig economy and exploit their status in the UK.

“That means if you are found to be working with no legal right to do so, we will bring the full force of powers available to us to disrupt and stop this abuse. There will no place to hide.

“This targeted action is on top of ongoing work across the country to disrupt people flouting the rules across different sectors.”