A GROUP of Bangladeshi illegal workers were arrested in a Ringwood restaurant raid last week.

Acting on intelligence, immigration enforcement officers visited India Cottage in Christchurch Road on Friday evening and arrested five men from Bangladesh, aged 24-51, who were found to be in the UK illegally.

All were arrested and four were detained pending removal from the UK. The fifth was granted temporary release while his case is progressed, and will have to report regularly to the Home Office during this time.

India Cottage were served a notice warning they are liable for financial penalties of up to £20,000 per illegal worker found unless evidence is provided that legally-required pre-employment checks were carried out, such as seeing a passport or an official Home Office document confirming permission to work.

Immigration officer Carla Johnson said: "This successful operation reflects our ongoing work to identify, arrest and remove people who abuse the UK’s immigration system.

"All of our operations are intelligence led and I would encourage people with detailed and specific information about illegal immigration to contact us.

"Our efforts to tackle illegal working will not stop. Using illegal labour is not a victimless crime. It defrauds the Treasury, undercuts honest businesses and cheats legitimate job seekers of employment opportunities.

"It can also be linked to the exploitation of some of society’s most vulnerable people.

"Those who ignore the rules, and do not carry out the simple checks to ensure their employees have the right to work in the UK, will face the consequences."

New measures included in the Immigration Bill currently progressing through Parliament would make it easier to prosecute employers using illegal labour, increase the maximum prison sentence for doing so to five years and also close down businesses which continue to flout the rules.

Those who work illegally would themselves be committing a criminal offence and face the prospect of having their earnings seized.

Employers with questions about checking a job applicant’s right to work in the UK can call a support line for advice on 0300 123 4699.

Anyone with concerns about illegal working or non compliant employers can report this to the Home Office online at www.gov.uk/report-immigration-crime.