Immigration officials swooped on a car wash in Whaplode and arrested three Albanian nationals.
Readers contacted the Spalding Guardian on Thursday after mistaking the officials for police officers.
The Eastern Europeans were arrested at the car wash by the Jet garage in High Road on suspicion of illegally entering the country without a passport.
Sgt Stuart Hurst said it was understandable residents had mistaken the officials for a police operation.
He said: “They would have been in unmarked cars, but the uniform is very similar to the police’s.”
The men were taken to an immigration centre with a view to being deported.
Meanwhile, talks continue between MP John Hayes and the UK Border Agency (UKBA) regarding a new list that has been drawn up of people from non-UK countries responsible for drunken and violent behaviour in Spalding.
The MP called a meeting with the agency as a response to the ‘We’ve Had Enough’ campaign and letters in the Guardian from residents fed up with crime and anti-social behaviour in Spalding.
He said he would happily work with the police to deal with any foreign criminals who are persistently offending in Spalding.
Since last year, it is believed eight immigrants have been deported following similar action.
In May, a Polish immigrant who lived in Spalding was deported after being convicted of stealing hair straighteners from Sainsbury’s.
Ariel Firut (22), who was unemployed, was the second Polish man to be deported around that time.
Andrzej Lyser (37) was also not working and of no fixed abode and had convictions for criminal damage and attempted theft.
Mr Hayes said: “I have no problem with any foreign nationals who come to live here and get a job and are law abiding.But to those who come here and contribute nothing to society and break the law we will be sending out a strong message - and that is ‘You are not welcome here’.”