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Four illegal workers caught in Bedford
04 November 2009
Two Bedford eateries are facing the potential of substantial fines after being caught employing illegal workers.
Officers from the UK Border Agency visited Frankie and Benny's in Goldington Road and the Kashmir Takeaway in Midland Road on Thursday last week (29 October).
Frankie and Benny's now faces a potential fine of £10,000 after it was found employing one illegal worker, while the Kashmir Takeaway could have to pay £30,000 after it was caught with three members of staff who were working illegally.
Melanie Partridge, officer in charge of the intelligence led operation, 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.'
The illegal employee at Frankie and Benny's was a 64-year-old Brazilian man who had overstayed his visa. At the Kashmir Takeaway officers encountered a 29-year-old Bangladeshi man who had overstayed his visa, a 17-year-old Iranian illegal entrant and a 27-year-old illegal entrant from Afghanistan.
Steps are now being taken to remove the Brazilian and the Bangladeshi from the UK. The two others have outstanding asylum applications.
A tough new civil penalty system was brought in last year to provide a fast and effective way of tackling bosses who fail to carry out proper checks on workers from outside Europe. A fine of up to £10,000 per worker can be imposed for every illegal worker found at a business.
The businesses will face fines unless they can prove that the correct pre-employment checks were carried out.
Guidance for employers on preventing illegal working can be found on the UK Border Agency website, www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/employers or by calling the UK Border Agency Employers Helpline on 0845 010 6677.
Anyone who suspects that illegal workers are being employed in Bedfordshire should contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where anonymity can be assured.