7 illegal workers found at Edinburgh restaurant

SIX men from Pakistan and one from India have been found working illegally at the Mosque Kitchen in Edinburgh.

The Mosque Kitchen, Edinburgh Pic Neil Hanna

Home Office immigration officers, acting on intelligence, raided the restaurant in Nicolson Square at lunchtime yesterday.

They found seven men, aged 22 to 57, who had no right to work in the UK.

Five had been detained and will be removed from the country, while two have been told to report regularly to police stations until their outstanding immigration bids are concluded.

The Mosque Kitchen will face a fine of up to £70,000 if it cannot prove proper employment checks were carried out before hiring the men.

Assistant Director Adam Scarcliffe, of the Home Office’s Scotland immigration enforcement team, said: “Illegal working is not a victimless crime.

“It defrauds the taxpayer, undercuts honest employers and cheats legitimate job seekers out of employment opportunities.

“We’re happy to work with businesses to let them know what checks need to be made on staff, but those who break the law should know that they will face heavy fines.”