Two immigration offenders have been caught working illegally at Wasabisabi in Sheffield last week following a crackdown on rogue employers.

Officers from the UK Border Agency targeted Wasabisabi, 227a London Road in Sheffield in an intelligence led operation shortly after 1730 on Tuesday 26 January.

They found two Chinese males, aged 24 and 42, working their illegally. Both were arrested, one on suspicion of entering the UK illegally and the other for absconding. Both remain in detention whilst further checks are made and efforts will now be made to remove them from the UK as soon as is possible.

The employer of Wasabisabi was served with a notice of potential liability (NOPL) in relation to the two illegal workers, which carries potential fines of up to £10,000 per illegal worker. The employer now has 28 days to provide evidence that legally-required checks were carried out before giving the workers jobs – such as asking for a passport or another Home Office document – or face a total fine of up to £20,000.

Steve Lamb, regional operations director of the UK Border Agency in North East, Yorkshire and the Humber, said:

‘These raids are part of an ongoing clampdown on illegal working to reduce the attractiveness of the UK to illegal immigrants. There are strict rules about which foreign nationals can get a job in the UK and businesses have a clear responsibility to carry out the right checks.

‘Anyone who takes on a foreign national without permission to work in the UK is breaking the law, undermining law-abiding businesses and faces a big fine. Last year alone, we’ve issued fines worth hundreds of thousands of pounds to dozens of businesses across Yorkshire.’

The enforcement operation is one of an average of 70 that take place across Yorkshire and the North East in a month to tackle illegal working in the region.

Anyone who suspects that illegal workers are being employed at a business can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where anonymity can be assured.

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