Illegal workers caught during e-bike crackdown

South Yorkshire Police have crackdown on e-bikes in Sheffield city centre

Immigration officers have joined police patrols after a number of takeaway delivery riders on e-bikes were found to be working illegally.

South Yorkshire Police targeted e-bikes in Sheffield city centre and discovered "a significant number of asylum seekers with no right to work" were delivering food and others were victims of modern day slavery.

Food delivery couriers are self-employed and log on to apps to be able to collect takeaway orders.

Just Eat, Uber Eats and Deliveroo said they had strict employment policies and worked closely with the Home Office and police. All three apps use daily facial recognition to verify couriers, among other checks including Right to Work documents.

Verification checks are intended to prevent registered couriers "renting out" their accounts to those who do not have the right to work in the UK.

In a report, South Yorkshire Police said: "Since January 2024, the city centre neighbourhood team has seized over 200 e-bikes and e-scooters, with approximately 10% of those seizures leading to further arrests for more serious offences such as drug supply and possession of offensive weapons.

"This approach also uncovered that a significant number of asylum seekers with no right to work were being employed as delivery riders and also potential victims of modern slavery.

"The city centre policing team conducts weekly targeted operations to tackle anti-social behaviour, with e-bikes being a strand of this.

"This is subject to daily patrols and regularly has more concerted days of action with immigration officers and plain clothed officers. The modern slavery team have also been involved in the joint operations."

The report, to the South Yorkshire Police and Crime Panel, said other police teams including Doncaster's were now looking at the same approach.

South Yorkshire Police have seized more than 200 e-bikes and e-scooters

Uber Eats said it had a "zero tolerance" to modern day slavery and was the first platform to launch an identification system which requires couriers to take a "selfie" before a shift, which is then compared in real time with a photo in its database.

A spokesperson said: "We are deeply committed to tackling illegal work and the criminal networks who are often behind it.

"We are continually improving our processes, including introducing industry-leading facial verification technology.

"Our rules are clear that couriers must follow the law, including the Highway Code, and we have measures in place to help ensure couriers use appropriate vehicles."

All riders with Deliveroo, including substitute ones, complete up to four facial recognition checks per day. A team is dedicated to stopping criminals from co-ordinating illegal work.

A spokesperson said: "Deliveroo has taken action to target illicit account sharing on our platform and as a result, have off-boarded thousands of suspicious rider accounts in recent months."

Just Eat said it was fully committed to tackling all attempts to provide delivery services illegally.

A spokesperson said: "We have substantially strengthened our systems against abuse, with daily facial recognition checks, and checks that are triggered when a new device is used to log in.

"Safety is taken seriously. All couriers delivering on our behalf must agree to follow all laws and rules of the road and any breaches are met with swift action and zero tolerance for criminal behaviour."

Crackdown

The Home Office said Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat would now receive information concerning the locations of asylum hotels to help better target people working illegally.

In August, the Home Office said there were 280 arrests nationwide following a week-long crackdown on riders working illegally for delivery firms.

Immigration enforcement teams targeted illegal working hotspots, with a focus on migrants working as delivery riders.

As a result, 53 individuals were having their asylum support reviewed, which could result in it being suspended or withdrawn.

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