
Police, border and council officials removed just one homeless Eastern European out of 37 detained in central London this morning despite new 'stricter' rules on problem begging.

Out of 37 homeless people screened at Marble Arch just two were put on flights home - with one going voluntarily due to ill health - on £200 flights paid for by the tax payer.

The operation was aimed at combating the 'offensive consequences' caused by beggars harassing shopkeepers, local residents and tourists in six boroughs in the capital.

It comes a day after it was revealed the number of foreigners moving to Britain had soared dramatically, leaving the Government’s flagship pledge to slash immigration in tatters.

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One of the people removed during the morning raids in central London today is pictured talking to two police officers. Six boroughs in the capital were targeted according to police

Two elderly women sit in the back of a police van following the raids. Police say one person will be removed from the country by UK Border Agency while another will return to Romania voluntarily

A tearful woman sits on some steps while her friend pours the contents of a cup into her hands. Police descended on an area of Park Lane in London at around 4am this morning

Rough sleepers and beggars in parts of London including at Marble Arch (pictured) are being rounded up in a major operation by immigration officers supported by police this morning

The operation is aimed at combating the 'offensive consequences' caused by beggars harassing shopkeepers, local residents and tourists in hotspots such as Marble Arch (pictured) in London

A woman who has been sleeping rough at Marble Arch smokes a cigarette as police and immigration officers talk to her during a major round-up operation in parts of London

David Cameron’s long-standing promise to get tough by reducing net migration to ‘tens of thousands’ a year suffered a humiliating blow yesterday with news that it rose by 40 per cent.

The Office for National Statistics said 243,000 more people moved to the UK last year than departed – an increase of 68,000 newcomers on the previous year.

European Union citizens accounted for 44,000 – or two-thirds – of the increase, including a rise in arrivals from Romania and Bulgaria.

According to the quarterly statistics, a total of 560,000 immigrants arrived in the UK in the 12 months to March, while an estimated 317,000 people left.

The overall number of arrivals from the EU was 214,000 and, for the first time in three years, the number of people migrating to the UK from outside the EU increased by 19,000 to 265,000. More than 80,000 Britons returned to the UK.

Although the UK Border Agency has the power to send home any EU nationals not exercising their EU Treaty rights, Westminster City Council bosses say 'tighter regulations are needed' and that current powers 'do not go far enough'.

But Immigration and Security Minister James Brokenshire said the operation demonstrated that 'abuse of free movement will not be tolerated' and that action would be taken to remove perpetrators from the UK.

'We work regularly with police, local authorities and other agencies to identify and deal with EU nationals who are not abiding by the rules.

Moving on: Rough sleepers staying in an underpass at Marble Arch pack up their belongings after being approached by immigration officers and police during Operation Encompass this morning

Women sleep in makeshift beds along shop fronts using blankets, cardboard boxes and plastic bags as bedding. They were among many rough sleepers 'processed' by authorities this morning

A police officer talks to a pair of rough sleepers as they are moved on this morning. The police operation is being supported by local authorities, Home Office Immigration Enforcement (HOIE) and other partner agencies

Push chairs and trolleys filled with belongings are lined up against the wall of the underpass while people sleep rough under blankets moments before they are woken by immigration and police officers

According to quarterly statistics, a total of 560,000 immigrants arrived in the UK in the 12 months to March this year, while an estimated 317,000 people left

The Office for National Statistics said 243,000 more people moved to the UK last year than departed – an increase of 68,000 newcomers on the previous year

David Cameron’s long-standing promise to get tough by reducing net migration to ‘tens of thousands’ a year suffered a humiliating blow yesterday with news that it rose by 40 per cent

'New regulations introduced on 1 January mean that any EU national removed for not fulfilling the residence requirements can now be banned from re-entering the UK for 12 months, unless they can prove they have a valid reason to be here.

'This is just one of the ways we have been working across Government to protect public services and our welfare system, and address the factors that drive European immigration to Britain.'

The raids, which have resulted in 'several' arrests and anti-social behaviour orders being issues, are also taking place in other areas including Camden, Croydon, Islington, Lambeth, and Southwark.

The figures released yesterday offered clear evidence of how a new wave of EU immigration has taken advantage of Britain’s fast-recovering economy – which has produced an extra two million private sector jobs since 2010 – while the Eurozone remains mired in chaos.

There was an increase in people arriving for work to 228,000 – up from 190,000 – while 177,000 people came here as students. Ministers have no powers to stop the free movement of European workers.

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg, the Deputy Prime Minister, said the Tories had ‘gone quiet’ on the target and regarded it as a ‘mistake’, while Labour said the Government’s migration target was in ‘tatters’.

Westminster City Council cabinet member for community protection, Cllr Nickie Aiken, added: 'I want to stress that the council and its partners go to great lengths to support those in genuine need and help them with a route away from rough sleeping.

'The UK Border Agency already has the power to send home any EU nationals not exercising their EU Treaty rights, and the council will continue to work with the UKBA and Metropolitan Police to ensure that this happens.

'But the fact remains that the current legislative powers available do not go far enough and still allow some people to play the system and exploit a three-month window. We need tighter regulations.'

A female police officer stands guard as rough sleepers, camping out on makeshift beds next to a shop, are woken up and informed about the round-up operation

Metropolitan Police Service Commander Alison Newcomb, who is leading the operation, has said begging would not be tolerated in the City of Westminster or any other borough

Rough sleepers, including one with an accordion (left), keep warm under a duvet as they read leaflets handed out by immigration and police officers this morning

The operation comes a day after it was revealed the number of foreigners moving to Britain had soared dramatically, leaving the Government’s flagship pledge to slash immigration in tatters

PC Karen Spencer, who was at the scene, said: 'Wherever you get groups of rough sleepers you will probably get problems with antisocial behaviour and crime.

'We see a lot of different nationalities in the hotspot areas, all of the people processed today were Roma and within their rights to be here apart from one, whose stay had gone over the three month threshold.'

A Scotland Yard spokesman said the operation involved 'documenting and processing' rough sleepers.

'The processing of people will be noticeable for at least the next couple of hours, or until we finish processing all the people in that area.'

The police operation is being supported by local authorities, Home Office Immigration Enforcement (HOIE) and other partner agencies.

The Met spokesman added: 'Under the banner of Operation Encompass, this focused proactive operation has led to several arrests and anti-social behaviour notices being issued with a view to seeking ASBOs in due course, where appropriate.

'Police officers, council wardens and HOIE officers have been working in partnership targeting those responsible for such behaviour by concentrating on engaging, disrupting and deterring rough sleeping and begging.

'This operation highlights work that is carried out daily by officers and partners who proactively patrol hotspot areas to speak with those who sleep rough and beg from members of the public.

Immigration and Security Minister James Brokenshire said the operation demonstrated that 'abuse of free movement will not be tolerated' and that action would be taken to removed perpetrators from the UK

A Met police spokesman has said that several arrests and anti-social behaviour notices have been issued as part of the round-up this morning being issued with a view to seeking ASBOs

A female police officer speaks to two rough sleepers at an underpass near Marble Arch in London as part of the operation. Westminster City Council bosses have stressed that they go to 'great lengths' to support those in genuine need

Thee UK Border Agency has the power to send home any EU nationals not exercising their EU Treaty rights and Westminster City Council has vowed to work with the agency and police to act

European Union citizens accounted for 44,000 – or two-thirds – of the increase on newcomers to the UK last year, including a rise in arrivals from Romania and Bulgaria

Immigration and Security Minister James Brokenshire said the government was 'working with police, local authorities and other agencies to identify and deal with EU nationals who are not abiding by the rules'

The number of people leaving the UK has consistently been lower than the number of immigrants arriving each year since the 1990s

'Assistance is offered through support services and arrests are made where offences are identified.

'Whilst good progress has been made, these issues persist and all partnership agencies are committed to dealing with this matter in a robust and balanced way.'

The spokesman added: ' We currently have officers out on the ground taking part on this operation. We will be assessing the amount of officer numbers throughout the day, and, for example, if there are many rough sleepers, or beggars, we will change the amount of officers taking part.

'This is a day of action taking place across a number of boroughs, and further days of action will take place in the future.

Metropolitan Police Service Commander Alison Newcomb, who is leading the operation, said begging would not be tolerated in the City of Westminster or any other borough.

'Officers work with immigration partners to utilise legislation launched in January regarding removal from the UK, where the grounds exist.

'They also make referrals to outreach projects in order to help vulnerable individuals break the cycle they find themselves in when sleeping rough, while taking affirmative action against persistent offenders who break the law or cause intimidation to passing members of public.

'Begging will not be tolerated in the City of Westminster or any other London borough. Wherever possible people begging will be arrested and ASBOs sought where appropriate.'

The impact of Romanian beggars on a Mayfair hairdresser has been 'worse than the recession' he claimed today .

Upmarket coiffeur Hakan Altay's said the arrival of the beggars has been worse for his business than the economic crash.

He said: 'My business is down 20 per cent because of these gypsies. It didn't affect us straight away, but it's slowly killing it.

'Even in bad times, the recession, we did better than this. I'd prefer to have the recession back.

'My regulars have been coming here for 30 years, they make comments about it, it's disgusting, I'm trying to keep providing for my family and have built this up and now they are destroying it.'

Mr Altay's male and female clients include celebrities, politicians and billionaire Arab royalty, although his loyal customers have been driven away by the smell of urine and faeces left by the travellers.

The homeless gangs used flower pots he installed outside his salon as latrines after they set up camp under the overhanging shop front.

He said: 'Every single day we have problems. There is rubbish, the place smells terrible - I mean bloody hell, this is Mayfair.

'I had plants along the windows and they s**t and p**s in them.

'I was putting Christmas decorations up last year with my children and there was a guy p***ing against the window, I can't believe we still have this problem.'

Turkish-born Mr Altay was speaking at the Park Lane salon where he has spent 14 year of his 37-year career as a Mayfair hairdresser.

On Friday morning police and border officials moved in as part of a London-wide crackdown on the nuisance beggars, although just two were sent home out of 37 processed.

He continued: 'If you park on a double yellow line they get punished for breaking the law, the authorities will come for you.

'But these people get away with what they want. I understand that there is EU rules, but the police here need to be stronger with them.

'I'm left to call the council sometimes every day to complain about these people, I feel like I'm at a dead end.