ILLEGAL workers have been found at a Hereford restaurant during a raid.

Two Bangladeshi men were caught working at Basmati Restaurant on King Acre Street, Swainshill, on October 3. Neither had permission to be in the UK.

The men, aged 36 and 44, tried to flee from the rear of the premises but were stopped by UK Border Agency officers who had already sealed the exits.

The raid came just a week after agency officers arrested another illegal worker at the same restaurant.

A Bangladeshi man, aged 39, who had overstayed his visa was found working in the kitchen on September 26.

All three men were taken to an immigration removal centre following their arrests.

Basmati Restaurant was handed a notice of a potential fine of up to £20,000 for employing the two illegal workers.

It already faces a potential fine of up to £10,000 for employing the man arrested last month.

Paula Burton, from the UK Border Agency’s West Mercia enforcement team, said: “We will continue to crack down on companies that employ illegal workers and fail to carry out proper checks on passports and other identity documents.

“Any business that takes on a foreign national without permission to work is breaking the law and faces a heavy fine and possible prosecution.”