The UK Border Agency last week deported eight illegal immigrants who had come from India and Pakistan.

Agency staff had been conducting a series of operations over the past 13 months that saw the men, who were living and working in Luton, arrested after it was discovered they had overstayed their visas.

Six of the offenders originated from Pakistan and the remaining two were Indian.

The men were aged between 25 and 74.

Alex Swain, a member of the UKBA’s Local Immigration Team in Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire, said: “Our message to people who are in the UK illegally is that they must leave. As these cases make clear, if they refuse to do so we will enforce their removal.

“We are determined to crack down on offenders and are sending a simple, clear message to people who are here illegally – more raids are planned and you will be caught.”

The first arrest came in May last year when one of the men, aged 43, was arrested in a raid on the Kashmir Buffet, in Dunstable Road, in May last year.

He was bailed while work to obtain emergency travel documents for him was carried out.

Three more were then arrested in a raid on a house in Dunstable Road on January 24.

They were also bailed ahead of their removal.

Another, aged 25, was apprehended at a property in Spencer Road on April 16.

During the arrest he tried to evade detection by hiding on the roof of the building but was caught and placed in UKBA detention ahead of his removal.

A 38-year-old was then arrested in a raid on Sahib Fabrics and Tailoring in Leagrave Road on May 30.

The two other immigration offenders removed from Luton last week.

One, a 27-year-old, had been arrested at his home in Clifton Road on June 14 and taken into detention.

He was returned to his home country last Wednesday.

The other, a 26-year-old man who had been living at Hartley Road, was returned to India the following day.

He had been arrested on February 8.