Immigration raid on Norwich takeaway

Not enough is written about how illegal immigrants are treated in the UK. The general narrative is driven by far-right claims of special privileges for illegals. It's time to challenge that BNP-serving narrative, which is untrue.

That story is told by political parties like the BNP to further sow seeds of hatred and division against foreigners, and against legitimate asylum seekers and legal immigrants.

In reality the illegal immigrant faces a life of exploitation, sordid living conditions, and fear of capture.

The treatment of illegal immigrants by the police is usually fair, firm and fast. They are held to account and generally deported according to the law of the land.

Under new legislation the employers of illegals face hefty fines for not properly checking references :

From EDP 24:

Three suspected illegal immigrants have been arrested after officers raided a Norwich takeaway.

The Peking Chinese Takeaway, in Dereham Road, Norwich faces a £30,000 fine following the raids, which saw three kitchen staff arrested.

Two of the workers, a 24-year-old Chinese man and a 29-year-old Chinese woman, have been detained in custody while arrangements are made to deport them.

Meanwhile a third employee, a 36-year-old Chinese man, has been bailed to report each week at Bethel Street Police Station.

The raid on Monday evening was made by UK border agency officers following intelligence received.

Unless the takeaway can prove that the correct pre-employment checks were conducted, it now faces a fine of up to £10,000 for each member of staff.

Gail Adams, the UK Border Agency's regional director for the midlands and the east, said: “We are working hard to pull the plug on the illegal jobs which lure illegal immigrants to come to the UK in the first place.

“Illegal working is unfair on honest employers who recruit staff with the right to work in the UK and who pay them a proper salary.

“Employers who don't play by the rules will get struck off our register, lose the right to recruit staff from outside Europe, face on the spot fines and could potentially end up in jail.”

The EDP was unable to contact anyone from the takeaway last night.

Last month Zizzi in Tombland, Norwich, found itself facing looking at a hefty fine for the second time in two years when two Brazilian men, aged 21 and 27, were found to be illegally working as chefs in the kitchen. Both men had overstayed the length of their visa and had used fake identity cards to gain employment, and were deported within days of the raid.

In April two Bangladeshi men, aged 32 and 33, were arrested following a raid on the Prince of India restaurant Prince of Wales Road Norwich. One was identified as a failed asylum seeker while the other had entered the country illegally.

And in January a similar raid saw three illegal immigrant workers arrested at the USA Fried Chicken and Pizza Restaurant in Queens Road, Norwich. Three Turkish men aged 28, 29 and 40 were arrested by UK Boarder Patrol officers.

The UK Boarder Agency says a tough new civil penalty system was brought in last year to provide a fast and effective way of tackling bosses who fail to carry out proper checks on workers from outside Europe.

Guidance for employers on preventing illegal working can be found on the UK Border Agency website, www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/employingmigrants or by calling the UK Border Agency Employers Helpline on 0300 123 4699.

Anyone who suspects that illegal workers are being employed in Norfolk should contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where anonymity can be assured.

by ROB GARRATT