Two businesses could face thousands of pounds of financial penalties for employing illegal workers, the Home Office immigration department has revealed.
Acting on intelligence, officers questioned people on their right to be in the UK at both Amia Beauty Salon, in The Mall, Ealing, and Londis, in Greenford Avenue, Hanwell, on Tuesday, February 18.
A 24-year-old Indian woman found to be working in breach of her visa conditions was arrested at Amia, although the manager of the salon denies she is guilty of this offence.
He said: “This is not true. She was not in breach of her conditions. This is a matter of further investigation and I do not wish to comment further.”
Two Sri Lankan nationals were then arrested at Londis – a 27-year-old man working in breach of his visa conditions and a woman, also aged 27, who was not found to be working but was arrested for an immigration offence.
Those arrested have been detained pending removal from the country.
The businesses were served notices warning them 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.
Shahen Galichian, of the West London Home Office Immigration Enforcement team, said: “Businesses in west London which follow the rules have nothing to fear, but those who either deliberately employ people with no right to work or fail to carry out the legally required checks on their staff should expect to face heavy financial penalties.
“Illegal working has a negative impact on communities. It defrauds the taxpayer, undercuts honest employers and cheats legitimate job seekers out of employment opportunities.”
Anyone with information about suspected immigration abuse can contact www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Businesses seeking advice about avoiding employing illegal workers can also visit www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk.
