FIVE men are to be deported after they were found working illegally at a Bury restaurant.

Officers from UK Border Agency targeted the Ruposhi Indian restaurant, right, in Wood Street, last Wednesday night, acting on intelligence.

They checked the immigration status of the staff and found five people were working there illegally.

A 27-year-old Bangladeshi man was working in breach of his visa while three other Bangladeshi men, aged between 22 and 49, had all overstayed their visas.

The fifth man, who was aged 42 and from Pakistan, had also overstayed his visa.

All five men were arrested and were taken to detention pending removal from the UK.

The restaurant was served with a civil penalty notice and could be fined up to £10,000 if they fail to provide evidence that legally-required checks were carried out, such as asking for a passport or a Home Office document.

Alison Wray, head of enforcement for UK Border Agency in the North West, said: “We will continue our hard work to track down those who have no permission to remain in the UK.

“As this operation shows, those found to be here illegally will be caught and will face removal from the UK.

“The UK Border Agency is also targeting unscrupulous employers who hire illegal workers, undercutting wages and potentially exploiting vulnerable workers.

“We are happy to work with businesses and advise what checks need to be carried out on staff but those who do break the law should know that they will face heavy fines.”

l Employers requiring advice about how to avoid employing illegal workers can call UK Border Agency’s employers’ helpline on 0300 123 4699 or visit ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/advice-for-employers.

Anyone who suspects that illegal workers are being employed at a business can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or you can visit crimestoppers-uk.org.