Whittlesey car wash fined £20,000 after being found employing illegal workers

A car wash in Whittlesey has been fined £20,000 by the Home Office after being found to employ illegal workers.

The fine has been imposed on Dajci’s Hand Car Wash And Valeting Centre, at West Delph, owned by Car Wash And Valeting CentreSG Hand Car Wash Ltd, by the Home Office.

Police visited the site in June 2023 and discovered two illegal workers.

One of the illegal workers, a 22-year-old man, was arrested and handed over to immigration services so their details could be confirmed.

The other illegal worker, a 20-year-old man, was asked to leave the site.

A spokesperson for Cambridgeshire Police said: “Although most hand car washes are run as reputable businesses, sadly some exploit workers to maximise profits.

“At a time when money is increasingly tight, it is understandably tempting to seek out goods and services that are as cheap as possible, but please do not allow this to blind you to the exploitation and suffering of other people who may be paying a very heavy price for the money you are saving.

“Often, enslaved people don’t realise they are victims, or they are so scared of those controlling them that they don’t see a way out. That’s where the public come in – please know the signs of modern slavery and report any concerns.

“Please let us know if a situation doesn’t seem quite right. We’d much rather attend the premises and discover everything is legitimate than have a victim of slavery trapped in a horrendous situation.”

Euro Star, owned by Euro Star Grocery Limited, in Spalding was also fined £15,000.