Illegal migrants found working at restaurant and takeaway in South Shields
IMMIGRATION officers have detained six illegal workers after raids on food outlets in South Shields
Both business could face thousands of pounds in fines per illegal employee
Officers questioned staff at the restaurant Zeera in Ocean Road and the take away outlet Masterchef in New Green Street after acting on information from a tip-off.
A total of four Bangladeshi men, aged between 21 and 33, were found to have overstayed their visas at Zeera.
A 27-year-old Indian man and a 27-year-old Bangladeshi man were found to have overstayed their visas at Masterchef.
Immigration officers received a tip-off about the employees at Zeera
All six men have been detained pending their deportation from the UK.
It cheats the taxpayer, undercuts honest businesses
Both businesses were served with notices saying they were potentially liable for a financial penalty of up to £20,000 per illegal worker unless they could prove that right to work checks were carried out.
Assistant director Phillippa Russell, from the North East & Cumbria Immigration Enforcement team, said: “These successful operations reflect our ongoing work to identify people abusing the UK’s immigration system.
“All of our operations are intelligence led and I would encourage people with detailed and specific information about illegal immigration to contact us.
Moment suspected illegal immigrants flee car
An Indian and Bangladeshi man found at Masterchef, both had expired visas
“Using illegal labour is not victimless.
"It cheats the taxpayer, undercuts honest businesses and means legitimate job seekers are denied employment opportunities. It also exploits some of society’s most vulnerable people.
“Employers who do not carry out the simple checks to ensure their staff have the right to work in the UK will face the consequences.”
The news comes after three suspected migrants were detained in Kent after apparently coming ashore in a dinghy.