A third of people arrested in London are foreigners

 
Justin Davenport8 October 2012
WEST END FINAL

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A third of all crime suspects arrested in London last year were foreign nationals, according to new police figures.

Just over 72,500 foreigners were held by the Metropolitan Police and questioned about crimes ranging from fraud to murder.

The figure — a third of the total — fell compared with the previous year when more than 80,000 non-British subjects were arrested in London.

The details were revealed as it emerged that Scotland Yard has drafted in immigration officials to its custody suites in a move to target foreign suspects. Operation Terminus is being run with the UK Border Agency with the aim of better identification of foreign nationals who are arrested here but may be wanted for offences committed abroad.

However, the six-month project has been criticised by some human rights and migrant groups.

Rita Chadha, of the Refugee and Migrant Forum of east London, said: “It is already extremely difficult to get individuals to report crimes where they feel vulnerable to harsh treatment as the result of experiences from their country of origin.”

The latest figures were revealed in a Freedom of Information request which showed 72,505 foreign suspects were arrested last year in the capital.

This included 79 on suspicion of murder, 708 for rape and 1,863 for robbery.

Polish nationals comprised the largest number of foreign nationals arrested in London.

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