Six catering workers seized in raid

By Ryan Crighton

A raid by immigration officials found that six workers at an Aberdeen restaurant were illegal immigrants.
Officers from the UK Border Agency and Grampian Police raided the Oriental Palace in Great Northern Road at 8pm on Tuesday.
After checking the documents of staff, they found that five men and one woman, all from China, were not permitted to be in the country.
They were all arrested for immigration offences, and steps are now being taken to remove them from the UK.
However, officials are having difficulty tracking down the owners of the restaurant, who could now face a fine of £60,000 — £10,000 for each illegal worker employed.
Phil Taylor, regional director of the UK Border Agency in Scotland and Northern Ireland, said: “The UK Border Agency is carrying out operations like this one in Aberdeen throughout Scotland every week.
“We are determined to deal with that threat of immigration-related crime, and we will step in and identify those employers who are breaking immigration laws and remove those people who do not have the right to be in the UK.”
Staff at the restaurant said last night it would be closed for “a few days”, but did not comment any further.
The raid follows a similar operation last month when restaurants and takeaways in Bridge Street, Belmont Street and Market Street were targeted.
As a result, six men were arrested for offences against immigration legislation, including Nepalese, Bangladeshi and Indian citizens.
An Australian-style points-based system for managing migration has recently been introduced in Britain, ensuring that only those with the skills the UK needs are allowed to work.
On-the-spot fines of up to £10,000 per illegal employee have also been introduced for employers who don’t make the correct right-to-work checks, and those businesses hit with fines will be named on the UK Border Agency’s website.
Anyone who suspects that illegal workers are being employed at a business anywhere in Scotland should contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.