IMMIGRATION Service officials joined British Transport Police in a major operation at Harrow and Wealdstone station last week.

Operation Collegiate was mounted in partnership with commuter train operator Silverlink between noon and 10pm from Monday to Friday.

Suspected fare dodgers were approached by police officers and their names checked against databases on handheld computers to see if they were illegal immigrants or were wanted for other offences.

A BTP spokesman said that many criminals also avoid paying their fares on public transport.

Nine police officers and two teams of immigration officials positioned themselves on the station's footbridge which links the platforms, watching for people who changed platforms or were acting suspiciously in other ways.

It was one of a series of such operations being staged all over England.

PC Paul Cudby said: "Our aim is to deter criminals from using the railway network.

"We also want to reduce assaults on transport staff.

"We are working with the Immigration Service at this station as it is a busy interchange and there are many people swapping lines."

Over the five days, up to 30 people were arrested for immigration offences, including failed asylum seekers and people working illegally or in breach of the conditions under which they are allowed to stay in the country.

They were taken into custody at a number of police stations and most are now in the process of being removed from the country.

A spokesman for the Home Office said: "The Government is cracking down on immigration offenders and are making good progress at removing them from the United Kingdom.

"This type of operation could happen anywhere at any time."