October 11, 2013 1.47 pm This story is over 125 months old

Two immigrants arrested in Lincoln raid

Immigration raid: Two Chinese men have been arrested in a raid by the Home Office Immigration Enforcement officers in Lincoln.
The Home Office Immigration Enforcement van was parked on Peel Street in Lincoln during the raids. Photo: Liam Haynes

Two Chinese men have been arrested in a raid by the Home Office in Lincoln.

Home Office Immigration Enforcement officers raided the Links Chinese Takeaway on Newark Road at around 7.30pm on Thursday, October 10.

They found that one member of staff, a 43-year-old man from China, had overstayed his visa.

When searching the upstairs accommodation, officers also found a 22-year-old man from China, a failed asylum seeker, hiding behind a stack of boxes.

Both men have been detained while awaiting to be be removed from the country.

Links Chinese Takeaway now faces a potential fine of up to £10,000 for the illegal worker unless it can demonstrate that appropriate pre-employment checks were carried out such as seeing a passport or Home Office document.

The government published the Immigration Bill on Thursday, which carries a number of proposals to clamp down on illegal working and rogue employers.

These include potentially doubling the maximum penalty for those using illegal labour to £20,000 and making it easier to enforce unpaid debts in the civil courts.

The government is also planning to simplify the right to work checks to make it easier for compliant employers to fulfil their responsibilities.

Immigration Minister Mark Harper said: “Illegal working encourages illegal immigration, undercuts legitimate businesses and is often associated with exploitation.

“The existing illegal working regime isn’t simple enough; the penalties have remained the same since 2008 and don’t provide a sufficient deterrent; it is also too easy for companies to evade paying them.

“New legislation will increase the penalties for rogue businesses, make it easier to enforce payment, while also making it easier for legitimate businesses to verify individuals’ right to work.”