AN ILLEGAL immigrant from Albania and three from Bangladesh were arrested following warrants at a restaurant and a pizza takeaway in Worcester.

Home Office Immigration Enforcement officers visited Peppers restaurant, in The Tything, at about 5.15pm on Friday, and questioned staff to check whether they had the right to live and work in the UK.

A trio of Bangladeshi men were arrested after two, aged 28 and 37, were found to have entered the UK illegally and the third, aged 41, had over-stayed his visa.

All three have been placed on immigration bail and will have to report regularly to the Home Office while their cases are reviewed.

The business could stand to be fined up to £30,000 unless it can provide proof that the correct right-to-work checks were carried out.

At the time of printing there was no one at the restaurant available to comment in relation to the arrests.

At about 8pm the same evening officers visited Caspian Pizza, in Sidbury, where they arrested a failed asylum seeker from Albania.

The 36-year-old has been detained and will eventually be deported.

As with Peppers, the business was served with a civil penalty notice and could be fined up to £10,000.

The manager of the takeaway said the illegal worker underwent the same checks as any other employee at the business.

He said: “The employee was on national insurance contribution, so on behalf of the company, we have been making contributions to that and he was also up to date with tax payments.

“From our point of view that’s legal status to be here and we processed it as we would any other employee .

“It is now a matter between him and the home office.”

Assistant director of West Midlands Immigration Enforcement Mary Halle said the Home Office carries out warrants such as this every day across the region.

“Illegal working is not victimless,” she said.

“It defrauds the taxpayer, undercuts honest employers and cheats legitimate job seekers out of employment opportunities.

“I urge people with information about suspected immigration abuse to get in touch.”

For more information on reporting a suspected immigration offence call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit gov.uk/report-immigration-crime.

For advice for employers on avoiding employing illegal workers call 0300 123 4699 or visit gov.uk/checkanemployeesrighttoworkdocuments