Five 'illegal workers' arrested in Home Office Wishaw raids
Five people have been arrested over immigration offences following Home Office raids in North Lanarskhire.
Four men from India were held by enforcement officers after visits to a convenience store and Indian restaurant in Wishaw on Friday night.
A man from Pakistan was detained at another convenience store in the town.
The Home Office aims to have all five people deported. The firms have been issued with a notice of potential liability of up to £10,000 per worker.
Officers from Police Scotland accompanied the Home Office enforcement officers during the "multi-agency" operation.
The visit to Keystore, on Stewarton Street, Wishaw, saw a 21-year-old Indian detained for breaching the conditions of his visa by working without permission.
A 23-year-old Indian man, who had overstayed his visa, was also arrested.
Two more men from India, aged 28 and 34, were arrested at the town's Pink Turban Indian restaurant on Wishaw Road.
The 28-year-old was said to have breached the conditions of his visa by working in excess of his permitted hours and the 34-year-old had overstayed his visa.
A 42-year-old Pakistani man, who had also overstayed his visa, was arrested for working illegally at Hillcrest Food and Wine, on the town's Hillcrest Avenue.
Adam Scarcliffe, from Home Office Immigration Enforcement, said: "Illegal working undercuts honest employers, defrauds the public purse and cheats legitimate job hunters out of employment opportunities.
"We are happy to work with employers to explain the simple checks that need to be carried out to establish a person's right to work in the UK.
"The message to those who choose to ignore the rules is clear. We will find you and you will face a heavy financial penalty."