Hemsby takeaway employed illegals

A HEMSBY takeaway has been caught employing two illegal workers as part of a county-wide crackdown by the UK Border Agency.

Officers conducted an intelligence-led operation at the Hong Kong Chinese Takeaway in Kingsway on Thursday last week.

Checks revealed that two members of staff had no permission to be in the UK. Arrangements are now being made to remove them from the country.

The two employees were a 48-year-old Malaysian man who had overstayed his visa and a 38-year-old Chinese man who had entered the UK illegally.

The Hong Kong Chinese Takeaway now faces a potential fine of up to �20,000 unless it can prove that the correct pre-employment checks - such as asking for a passport or other Home Office document - were carried out.

The raid coincides with a large-scale advertising campaign warning bosses of the heavy financial penalties they can expect if caught employing illegal foreign labour.

Inspector Colin Daulby, of the Local Immigration Team for Norfolk, said: “There is no excuse for an employer failing to check the identity of those applying for jobs. There are simple and straightforward ways of checking a foreign national's right to work in the UK.

“We support and encourage employers to comply with the rules and those who fail to do so can expect to get caught.”

The operation is the latest in an ongoing clampdown on illegal working in Norfolk.

This year alone the UK Border Agency has issued fines worth approximately �230,000 to more than 25 businesses in the county.

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.

Anyone who suspects that illegal workers are being employed in Norfolk should contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where anonymity can be assured.