Immigration arrests at Chinese takeaway in Limavady

Acting on intelligence, officers visited Uno Chinese takeaway on Anderson Avenue, Limavady, on Friday 11 March and questioned staff to establish whether they had the right to live and work in the UK.

A Chinese man and woman, aged 43 and 39 respectively, were arrested after they were found to have overstayed their visas. Neither one had the right to work in the UK.

Both have been transferred to immigration detention while steps are taken to remove them from the country.

Uno was warned it faces potential fines of up to £20,000 per worker, unless it can demonstrate that appropriate right-to-work document checks were carried out.

Mike Golden, from Immigration Enforcement in Northern Ireland said: “We are working hard to counter illegal working and those who abuse the UK’s immigration system.

“Using illegal labour is not a victimless crime. It cheats the taxpayer, undercuts businesses who ply an honest trade and deprives legitimate job seekers of employment opportunities.

“There are simple checks employers can carry out to ensure their employees have the right to work in the UK. Those who choose to ignore the rules will face the consequences.”