Immigration officers have made two arrests following raids at businesses in Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth.

Yesterday (October 15) around 7pm they visited the Lowestoft Tandoori in High Street, Lowestoft and found a 28-year-old man from Bangladesh had overstayed his student visa. He was detained pending his removal from the UK.

Officers also found a second illegal worker at the business – a 23-year-old Pakistani man who had overstayed his student visa.

He was not arrested but escorted from the premises and must report regularly to the Home Office while his case is dealt with.

The business now faces financial penalties of up to £20,000 per illegal worker unless they can demonstrate appropriate right-to-work document checks were carried out, such as seeing a passport or Home Office document.

Immigration Officer Mandy Hunt said: “Our specialist teams conduct operations on a daily basis and anyone who is in the UK illegally faces arrest and removal from the country.

“Illegal working defrauds the taxpayer, undercuts honest businesses and cheats legitimate job seekers out of employment opportunities.

“We rely on information from the public and I would urge people to report suspected immigration abuse to us.”

Earlier in the day officers had visited Le Chateau Convenience Store, Northgate Street, Great Yarmouth and where a 23-year-old Sri Lankan man was found to be working in breach of his student visa. He too was detained while arrangements to remove him from the country are made.

Information to help employers carry out checks to prevent illegal working can be found at www.gov.uk/government/collections/employers-illegal-working-penalties.

It includes a new quick answer right-to-work tool to help employers check if someone has the right to work in the UK.

People with information about suspected immigration abuse can contact www.gov.uk/report-immigration-crime or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.