Immigrants held after restaurant swoop

A GROUP of illegal immigrants have been captured and deported following a raid on a Suffolk restaurant.

Immigration officials swooped on the Bury St Edmunds branch of coffee giant Caffé Uno, after receiving intelligence that “a number” of illegal foreign nationals were being employed there.

Last night, a Home Office spokeswoman confirmed that four Brazilian nationals - who were found in possession of fake Portuguese documents - had been apprehended and deported following the search that was carried out at the restaurant last Wednesday.

However, it is believed the four immigrants - seized following a two-hour investigation at the café in Abbeygate Street - were not the ones initially being hunted by immigration officers.

The spokeswoman said: “We can confirm that an enforcement visit was made to Caffé Uno, in Abbeygate Street, Bury St Edmunds, on May 24.

“This was following intelligence received that there were a number of suspected illegal foreign nationals working there. Four Brazilian nationals were apprehended following the visit with the support of local management as they were found to be in possession of forged Portuguese documents.

“The four immigration offenders were subsequently removed on May 26.”

It is believed immigration officials had initially gone to Caffé Uno in search of three illegal immigrants, but restaurant bosses could find no record of their employment.

However, the discovery of four other members of staff who did not have permission to work in the country was then made, and the offenders were apprehended.

A spokeswoman for Suffolk police said officers had been made aware of the search.

“At around 6pm on May 24, immigration went to look for three people they thought were living and working on the premises. Four people were arrested at 8pm,” she said.

Caffé Uno declined to make any comment.