Arrest made as immigration raid on Corsham restaurant uncovers illegal workers

An immigration raid on a Corsham restaurant uncovered illegal workers, the Home Office said.

A team of approximately eight Home Office officers visited Amore, an Italian restaurant in Pickwick Road, at around 7.30pm yesterday evening (Thursday 6 October).

An intelligence-led immigration enforcement check of the establishment was conducted – and a number of people were found working illegally.

A Brazilian national was arrested on suspicion of breaching his visa by working. He was later bailed.

Three Albanian nationals were also encountered working illegally and will be dealt with according to immigration rules.

As a result, Amore’s management was fined £20,000 per illegal worker located – amounting to a staggering £80,000.

The business will be able to contest the civil penalty if it can provide concrete evidence that the correct right-to-work checks were conducted prior to their employment.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “The government is tackling illegal immigration and the harm it causes by removing those with no right to be in the UK.

“We continue to work with law enforcement agencies to tackle illegal migration in all its forms.

“Our Nationality and Borders Act will fix the broken system; making it fair to those in genuine need and firm on those who seek to abuse it.”