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Illegal workers detained in Cheshire
05 October 2012
Three people have been arrested for immigration offences following 2 separate raids in a UK Border Agency operation in Cheshire.
Acting on intelligence, officers from the UK Border Agency targeted the Indian Brasserie on Long Lane, Upton and New York Nails on Whitby Road, Ellesmere Port on Wednesday 3 October 2012 where they carried out checks on staff to see if they had rights to work in the UK.
They arrested 2 illegal workers in New York Nails, 1 30-year-old Vietnamese man, and 1 29-year-old Vietnamese woman. Both were in the country illegally and working without any right to do so.
Later officers visited the Indian Brassiere were checks revealed a 22-year- old Bangladeshi man was working in breach of his student visa conditions.
Both businesses could be fined up to £10,000 per illegal worker unless they can prove to the UK Border Agency that the correct right-to-work checks were carried out on their employees.
Alison Wray, head of enforcement for the UK Border Agency in the North West, said:
'We will continue our hard work to track down those who have no permission to remain in the UK. As this operation shows those found to be here illegally will be caught and will face removal from the UK.
'The UK Border Agency is also targeting unscrupulous employers who hire illegal workers, undercutting wages and potentially exploiting vulnerable workers.
'We are happy to work with businesses and advise what checks need to be carried out on staff, but those who do break the law should know that they will face heavy fines.'
Every year, the UK Border Agency imposes civil penalties on thousands of companies which have failed to carry out legally-required checks on their staff.