Illegal Worker Found At Dover Takeaway

An illegal worker has been arrested following a UK Border Agency raid at a Dover takeaway.

Acting on information gained during Operation Cleansweep - a recent initiative with Dover District Council and Kent Police - officers from the agency went to Bamboo and Rice takeaway, London Road, on 22 June.

After checking the immigration status of staff, officers found a 30-year-old man from China who had overstayed his visa and was working illegally.

The man was arrested and later released on immigration bail. He must report regularly to the agency while it takes steps to remove him from the UK.

Bamboo and Rice now faces a potential fine of up to £10,000 if the employer cannot prove that the correct right-to-work checks - such as asking for a passport or work permit - were carried out before giving the man a job.

Karyn Dunning, who heads the UK Border Agency's local immigration team for Kent said: "The message is clear for employers - we will not tolerate illegal working. It is a crime that not only undercuts local business but also has a serious impact on communities, taking jobs from those who are genuinely allowed to work.

"It is the legal responsibility of all employers to check that staff have the right to work in the UK. There are simple ways of checking a foreign national's right to work and there are no excuses for failing to do so."

Every year, the UK Border Agency imposes civil penalties on thousands of companies which fail to carry out the necessary right-to-work checks on their staff.