Illegal immigrants caught in Burnley

Acting on intelligence, officers from Immigration Enforcement operations visited Agra Indian restaurant, Accrington Road, Hapton, on Friday, November 25th, and questioned staff to establish whether they had the right to live and work in the UK.

The Bangladeshi men were arrested at the restaurant after officers found them working illegally.

The 29-year-old man had overstayed his visit visa and is currently in detention pending his removal from the UK. The 31- year-old man had overstayed his student visa and must now report regularly to Immigration Enforcement while his case is progressed.

The business was served a notice warning that a financial penalty of up to £20,000 per illegal worker will be imposed unless the employers can demonstrate that appropriate right-to-work document checks were carried.

Karen McDonough, from Immigration Enforcement Lancashire, said: “Companies who either knowingly take on illegal workers or ignore their legal obligations to carry out pre-employment checks should expect to face fines. This behaviour helps to encourage illegal immigration.

“Illegal working is not a victimless crime. It cheats the taxpayer, meaning less money is available for vital public services, undercuts honest employers and denies legitimate job seekers employment opportunities. It also exploits some of society’s most vulnerable people.

“We expect everyone here illegally to leave the UK voluntarily. For those who don’t the message is clear - we will find, detain and remove you.”

People with information about suspected immigration abuse can contact https://www.gov.uk/report-immigration-crime or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Information to help employers carry out checks to prevent illegal working can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/employers-illegal-working-penalties.