TWO alleged immigration offenders have been found working at separate businesses in Bude following raids by the UK Border Agency.

The enforcement operations last Thursday (July 29) were part of planned nationwide action by the UK Border Agency to tackle illegal working, sham marriages, bogus colleges and organised immigration crime.

Acting on information received, officers from the agency went to Taste of India, on Queen Street, and checked the immigration status of staff.

After the checks were made it was revealed that a Bangladeshi man, who was working as a waiter, had allegedly stayed in the UK illegally after his visa had expired.

He was arrested and taken to Launceston Police Station for further questioning. He remains in immigration detention pending his removal from the UK.

Officers then went to Tiandi on The Strand, where a Malaysian man was also found working illegally. He was believed to have overstayed his visa.

He was arrested and taken to Launceston Police Station before later being released on condition he reports regularly to a local police station while steps are taken to remove him from the UK.

Both Taste of India and Tiandi will receive a civil penalty notice warning the employers they are liable to pay fines of up to £10,000 each if they fail to prove they carried out legally-required right-to-work checks on the men.

Damian Green, the Immigration Minister, said: "The government has tasked the UK Border Agency with carrying out an intense period of enforcement activity over the summer. We are determined to make it harder than ever for illegal immigrants to come to the UK.

"Illegal immigration puts pressure on public services, local communities and legitimate businesses at a time when this country cannot afford it.

"That's why the UK Border Agency is working to cut out illegal employment, sham marriages, bogus colleges and organised traffickers being used by foreign nationals to try to stay in the UK illegally."

Jane Farleigh, Regional Director of the UK Border Agency in Wales and the South West, added: "These successful enforcement operations show that our officers will find immigration offenders wherever they are across Cornwall.

"We carry out regular operations across the county to crack down on illegal workers and the businesses which employ them."

Advice for employers about how to employ migrant workers legally is available from the UK Border Agency on http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/employers/">http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/employers/

Anyone who has information on immigration offenders in Cornwall can contact the UK Border Agency on 01752 275161.