"No hiding place": Two face deportation after Border Agency raid on Balti House (From Dorset Echo)

Officers to deport two men after Weymouth curry house raid

6:30am Monday 11th March 2013 in News By Catherine Bolado

TWO men have been arrested after a UK Border Agency raid on a Weymouth restaurant.

Officers, acting on information received, swooped on the Balti House on Commercial Road on Thursday (March 7) and questioned staff about their immigration status.

UK Border Agency officers said they found two Bangladeshi illegal kitchen workers.

Checks founds that they were a 24-year-old failed asylum seeker who had not left the country after his claim for protection was turned down and a 46-year-old who was found to have over-stayed his visa.

Restaurant owner Shalim Abdul said the restaurant did its 'upmost best' to check documents.

He said checks had been done on both men and that as far as he was aware both were legally in the UK.

The men were arrested and taken to Weymouth Police Station for further questioning. UK Border Agency officials said they are due to be transferred to immigration detention to await removal from the UK.

Phil Reay, from the UK Border Agency, said: “We are creating a hostile environment for illegal immigrants and offenders should know that there is no hiding place in Dorset.

“Illegal immigration puts undue pressure on public services, local communities and legitimate businesses.

“As well as the workers, we are looking to target businesses which employ illegal labour and who encourage illegal immigration in the process.”

The Balti House could now potentially face a fine of up to £20,000 - £10,000 for each illegal worker.

UK Border Agency officials said that to avoid the fine the employers must 'provide evidence' that the correct right-to-work checks were carried out, such as taking copies of a Home Office document or passport - which Mr Abdul says has been done and documentation proving it was given to UK Border Agency staff on Thursday evening.

Mr Abdul said that as far as he was aware both men had provided the correct documents.

He said that as far as he knew both men were in the country legally and were legitimate.

Mr Abdul said that the younger man, the 24-year-old, was not working in the restaurant, as the UK Border Agency claimed, and merely rented a room upstairs.

He said that the young man had provided documents and case files stating that his asylum application was pending.

Mr Abdul said: “What he failed to tell me was the case had been refused.”

He said that the second man, the 46-year-old, had provided him with all the right documents including a passport, P45 and other pay slips from his last employment.

He said: “As far as we were concerned he was legal.”

He added: “We do our upmost best to check all the documents.”

Mr Abdul said that all other staff members were found to be legitimately working and paying taxes.