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Fish bar raid leads to three arrests
01 July 2009
Three illegal immigrants have been caught by UK Border Agency officers cracking down on illegal working in Northampton.
Acting on intelligence, officers from the Bedford Local Immigration Team visited Kingsley Fish Bar in Kingsley Park Terrace just after 1430 on 25 June.
The team found two Pakistani men, aged 28 and 39, and a 32-year-old Indian man who had no permission to work in the United Kingdom. All three were working behind the counter and in food preparation.
The Indian and the 28-year-old Pakistani had overstayed their visas. The 39-year-old Pakistani was an illegal entrant to the United Kingdom.
The UK Border Agency is now taking steps to remove the Pakistanis from the United Kingdom as soon as possible. The Indian has been charged with ID card offences by Northamptonshire Police, has been remanded in custody and is due to make a second court appearance on 24 July.
The business was issued with an on-the-spot penalty notice for employing illegal workers and face a fine of up to £30,000 if it cannot be proven that the correct right-to-work checks (such as asking for a passport or work permit) were carried out before the men were given jobs.
Gail Adams, UK Border Agency regional director, said:
'We are working hard to pull the plug on the illegal jobs which lure illegal immigrants to come to the UK in the first place.
"Illegal working is unfair on honest employers who recruit staff with the right to work in the UK and who pay them a proper salary.
'Employers who don't play by the rules will get struck off our register, lose the right to recruit staff from outside Europe, face on the spot fines and could potentially end up in jail.'
If you are an employer and you are unsure of the steps you must take to avoid employing illegal workers, you can visit www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/employers or call the UK Border Agency employers' helpline on 0845 010 6677.
Anyone who suspects that illegal workers are being employed in Northamptonshire should contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where anonymity can be assured.