Illegal Bangladeshi workers nabbed in Indian eatery

An Indian restaurant in Britain was raided by immigration officers and seven workers, all from Bangladesh, were arrested on the charge of visa-related offences, according to media reports.

The seven illegal workers were arrested last week from the town of Sandhurst in southeast England's Berkshire county and face deportation, reported Getreading online on Monday.

British Home Office immigration officers raided the Indian restaurant "The Shenai" around 6 p.m. on March 13.

Six of the arrested men were between 18 and 28 years of age, and were found to have overstayed the period stipulated in their visas.

A 26-year-old co-accused was found to be working in breach of his visa stipulation.

Two of the men who were found to have overstayed, aged 18 and 28, were transferred to the immigration detention centre pending deportation and have to report regularly to the Home Office.

The other men are on temporary release, while their cases are being looked into, but also have to report to the Home Office regularly.

The restaurant was served with a notice warning that it could be hit with a fine of up to 20,000 pounds (nearly $30,000) per illegal worker arrested, unless it can be proved that the workers had the correct papers.

Paul Smith, head of the Thames Valley and Surrey Home Office Immigration Enforcement team, said: "This was a successful operation resulting in the arrest of a number of immigration offenders."

"The message to businesses in Berkshire using illegal labour is clear. Our dedicated, specialist teams will catch you and if the correct checks have not been carried out, you will pay a heavy penalty," he said.

"Illegal working cheats the taxpayer, undercuts honest employers and often exploits some of society's most vulnerable people," he noted.