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Cash and illegal workers found in Chetenham raid
25 January 2012
Three illegal workers from China remain in immigration detention following a UK Border Agency raid on a Cheltenham takeaway.
Around £2,000 in cash was also seized at Gourmet San, Bath Road, on 19 January 2012 under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
Acting on intelligence received, officers raided the takeaway and checked the immigration status of workers.
A 47-year-old man was found to be a failed asylum seeker, a 42-year-old woman had entered the UK illegally and a 39-year-old woman had stayed in the UK illegally after her visa expired.
All 3 were arrested and have since been transferred to immigration detention.
The 47-year-old man is due to be removed from the country over the coming weeks while the other 2 illegal workers have outstanding immigration claims. If they are found to have no right to remain in the UK, they will also be removed.
Gourmet San now faces a fine of up to £30,000 - up to £10,000 for each offender - unless evidence is provided that the correct pre-employment checks were carried out on their staff.
Cash totalling around £2,000 was seized from the premises under the Proceeds of Crime Act and is being retained by the UK Border Agency while further investigations are carried out.
Jane Farleigh, regional director of the UK Border Agency in the South West, said:
'We will not tolerate illegal working which undercuts wages and can exploit vulnerable workers.
'The UK Border Agency will target employers who ignore the rules and remove people who have no right to be in the UK.
'We're happy to work with businesses to let them know what checks need to be done on staff, but those who do break the law should know that we are out there looking for them and they will face heavy fines.'
Every year, the UK Border Agency imposes civil penalties on hundreds of companies which fail to carry out legally-required checks on their staff.
The agency provides support to employers so they can understand the rules, including visits by staff, a dedicated telephone helpline and website.