IMMIGRATION officers have raided an Indian restaurant in Colchester.

Four suspected illegal workers were arrested at Raj Palace on North Station Road last night.

Acting on intelligence, officers visited the restaurant shortly after 6pm.

Staff were questioned to establish whether they had the right to live and work in the UK.

Two Bangladeshi men, aged 31 and 26, were found to have overstayed visas. The 31-year-old had overstayed a spouse visa and the 26-year-old a student visa.

Two other Bangladeshi men, aged 38 and 33, were working in breach of their visa conditions.

The 38-year-old had been granted a visit visa and the 33-year-old a student visa.

All four men have been detained pending their removal them from the UK.

The business now faces a fine of up to £80,000 - £20,000 per illegal worker - unless the owners can prove they carried out proper checks.

Chief Immigration Officer Jack Davis said: “It is easy for businesses to carry out employment checks and those with appropriate records have nothing to fear from Immigration Enforcement.

"However, those who either knowingly employ immigration offenders or who have a lax attitude towards the legally required checks should expect a visit.

"Our efforts to tackle illegal working will not stop.

"Using illegal labour is not a victimless crime.

"It defrauds the Treasury, undercuts honest businesses and cheats legitimate jobseekers of employment opportunities. We carry out regular operations in Essex and those who ignore the rules will face the consequences.”