UK IMMIGRATION officials raided Twickenham stadium yesterday to arrest suspected illegal workers – One Ghanaian – hired for the England v Wales Six Nations game.
The swoop came just hours before Prince Harry and Prince William joined other dignitaries to watch the rugby clash.
It came as an embarrassment, with the ground celebrating 100 years since its first international match and England playing in commemorative kit.
Prince Harry, who was taking up his official post as vice-patron of the RFU, saw England beat Wales 30-17.
UK Border Agency staff had been tipped off that caterers and security firms were allegedly hiring illegals at the south-west London stadium.
Bar staff, waiters and security guards were among those quizzed and six were arrested in a joint operation with police.
Cops were at the stadium for several hours checking the paperwork of employees coming to work. As fans gathered for the game, they carted off suspects, leaving their posts unmanned.
An agency spokesman insisted the raid was kept “very low key”.
He said: “The venue co-operated fully. Six people from Nigeria, Cameroon, Zambia and Ghana were arrested. They face removal from the country.”
The operation was launched after concerns that major firms used to provide staff for high-profile events were not vetting staff properly.
Following the raid, several addresses were also searched.
Prince Harry’s new role will see him take on a range of ambassadorial activities. It builds on his gap year spent working with the RFU in its community rugby scheme.
He is also to become patron of the RFU’s Injured Players Foundation.
Source: GhanaWeb
