Illegal worker arrested in Ballymena by UK Border Agency

The enforcement operation on Thursday evening (8 March) was carried out as part of a nationwide campaign by the UK Border Agency to tackle immigration crime. Officers from the UK Border Agency targeted the Happy Villa Chinese Restaurant on Fenaghy Road Ballymena to question staff and ensure they had the right to work in the UK. Following checks on restaurant employees a 33-year-old Chinese man was arrested for illegally working. He is currently being detained while steps are taken to remove him from the UK. The Happy Villa has been issued with a civil penalty notice for employing the illegal worker. If the employers are unable to prove they conducted the correct pre-employment checks before giving the man a job – such as asking for a passport or a Home Office document – they may be liable for a fine of up to £10,000.

Mike Golden, Assistant Director of the UK Border Agency in Northern Ireland, said:

“This is the latest in a series of operations we’ve carried out to tackle immigration crime in Northern Ireland, and more are planned. “Illegal working has a serious impact on communities, taking jobs from those who are genuinely allowed to work. Businesses which operate outside the law should be warned that they will be found and they will be punished.” Every year, the UK Border Agency imposes civil penalties on thousands of companies which fail to carry out legally-required checks on their staff. Employers unsure of the steps they need to take to avoid employing illegal workers can visit www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/advice-for-employers or they can call the UK Border Agency’s Employers Helpline on 0300 123 4699. Anyone who suspects that illegal workers are being employed at a business can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.