Illegal workers found at Bramber restaurant

A restaurant in Bramber that employed illegal workers is facing a £30,000 financial penalty following a Home Office operation.
JPCT 170314 S14128887x Bramber, Maharajah restaurant -photo by Steve Cobb SUS-140318-083630001JPCT 170314 S14128887x Bramber, Maharajah restaurant -photo by Steve Cobb SUS-140318-083630001
JPCT 170314 S14128887x Bramber, Maharajah restaurant -photo by Steve Cobb SUS-140318-083630001

Acting on intelligence, Immigration Enforcement officers visited Maharajah in The Street, Bramber, on Thursday March 13. Individuals were questioned to check if they had the right to be in the UK.

Maharajah was visited at 9.15pm where officers arrested three Bangladeshi men. Two, aged 28 and 32, had overstayed their visas while a 32-year-old was found to have entered the country illegally.

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Those arrested were placed on immigration bail while their cases are progressed.

They will face removal from the UK if found to have no leave to remain.

The business was served notices warning that a civil penalty of up to £10,000 per illegal worker found will be imposed unless proof is provided that the correct right-to-work checks were carried out. This is a potential total of up to £30,000 for the restaurant.

Richard Lederle, head of the Kent and Sussex Home Office Immigration Enforcement team, said: “Operations like these are carried out across Sussex almost every day as we continue our work to track down and remove from the country those who seek to abuse the immigration laws.

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“Illegal working is not victimless. It defrauds the taxpayer, undercuts honest employers and cheats legitimate job seekers out of employment opportunities.

“The public can be a huge help and I urge people with information about suspected immigration abuse to get in touch.”

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

Employers unsure of the steps they need to take to avoid employing illegal workers can visit: www.gov.uk/check-an-employees-right-to-work-documents or they can call the Employers Helpline on 0300 123 4699.

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For more information and contact details for Home Office Immigration Enforcement teams in London and South visit:www.gov.uk/government/publications/contact-details-for-immigration-compliance-and-enforcement-teams

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