Illegal workers have been arrested following a raid on fast food outlet Dixy Chicken in Romford.

Acting on intelligence, Home Office immigration enforcement officers visited K&S London UK, Beehive Lane, Ilford, and Dixy Chicken, in Victoria Road, on Thursday last week, questioning staff to check if they had the right to work in the UK.

They arrested a 25-year-old Indian man at K&S, which was visited at 5.30pm.

A Pakistani man aged 37 and an Indian man, 26, were arrested at the Dixy Chicken takeaway, which was visited at 7pm.

All those arrested were found to have overstayed their visas and are currently in immigration detention while steps are taken to remove them from the country.

The businesses were served notices warning the employers that a civil penalty of up to £10,000 per illegal worker found will be imposed unless proof is provided that the correct right-to-work checks were carried out.

Steve Fisher, of the Home Office immigration enforcement team in north and central London, said: “We carry out operations like this in north east London almost every day.

“Where we find people who are in the UK illegally we will seek to remove them.

“We are happy to work with businesses to let them know what checks need to be done on staff.

“Those who choose to break the law should know that we are out there looking for them and they will face heavy fines.

“I would urge members of the public with detailed information about suspected immigration abuse to get in touch.”

For more information and contact details for Home Office immigration enforcement teams in London and south visit www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/aboutus/your-region/lse-ice/.

Anyone with information about suspected immigration abuse can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 anonymously or visit www.crimestoppers-uk.org.