Immigration enforcement officers have swooped on two city curry houses and arrested two men suspected of being in the country illegally.

Acting on intelligence, they raided the Jalsha Indian restaurant in Wincheap on Friday night and questioned staff.

It resulted in the discovery of a 34-year-old Bangladeshi who had allegedly overstayed his visa and a 19-year-old Eritrean national who is believed to have entered the UK illegally.

Jalsha in Wincheap, Canterbury

Officers also visited the Asraa Shisha Lounge in Wincheap - again acting on intelligence received.

An Eritrean minor, who is in the care of social services, was found working "illegally" and escorted from the premises.

The Bangladeshi man found at the Jalsha must now report regularly to the Home Office while his case is progressed.The Eritrean remains in immigration detention pending his removal from the UK.

It is the second time the Jalsha has allegedly fallen foul of immigration rules in just over a year.

In April last year, enforcement officers found two Bangladeshis and a Eritrean man working there illegally.

The Jalsha in Wincheap, Canterbury

Both businesses have separately been served with notices warning that financial penalties of up to £20,000 per illegal worker found will be imposed unless they can demonstrate that appropriate right to work document checks were carried out, such as seeing a passport or Home Office document confirming permission to work.

Inspector Ceri Williams, of the Kent and Sussex Immigration Enforcement team, said: "We are working hard to tackle illegal working and those who abuse the UK’s immigration system.

"Using illegal labour is not victimless crime. It defrauds the Treasury, depriving vital public services like schools and hospitals of funds, it undercuts honest businesses and it cheats legitimate job seekers of employment opportunities. It also exploits some of society’s most vulnerable people.



"We expect everyone here illegally to leave the UK voluntarily. For those who don’t the message is clear - we will find, detain and remove you."

Information to help employers carry out checks to prevent illegal working can be found at www.gov.uk/government/collections/employers-illegal-working-penalties.

Anyone with information about suspected immigration abuse can contact www.gov.uk/report-immigration-crime or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.