TWO BUSINESSES on the same Swansea Valley street could face substantial fines after five illegal workers were found employed there.

Officers from the UK Border Agency’s Swansea office visited Ming Kee and Curry Nights takeaways in Wern Road, Ystalyfera and found two Malaysians, two Chinese workers and Bangladeshi working illegally at the outlets.

Officials visited Ming Kee, at 6 Wern Road, at around 6.30pm on October 9 and found that all four workers had no legal right to work in the UK.

A Malaysian woman, aged 23, a Chinese woman aged 30 and a 32-year-old Malaysian man were found to have stayed in the UK to work illegally after their visitor visas had run out.

Investigations at the takeaway also revealed a 28-year-old Chinese person had entered the country illegally.

All four were served papers as immigration offenders at the scene and the UK Border Agency is taking steps to remove them from the UK.

Officers served Ming Kee with a Notice of Potential Liability for employing three of the four illegal workers.

If the employers are unable to provide evidence that proper right-to-work checks were carried out to employ them, they could face a fine of up to £10,000 per illegal worker – £30,000 in total.

Later the same evening, officers visited Curry Nights in entering the business at 8pm.

A 34-year-old Bangladeshi man, who was working as a chef, was found to have remained living and working illegally in the UK after his visitor’s visa had expired.

The UK Border Agency is also taking steps to remove him from the UK and Curry Nights was also served with a Notice of Potential Liability.

The visits to the two businesses were carried out after the UK Border Agency received intelligence about illegal working there.

Speaking about the operations, Jane Farleigh, regional director of the UK Border Agency in Wales and the South West, said: “Our message to employers is clear ñ ignorance is not a defence.

“Businesses must prove that they have made the right checks to employ migrant workers.

“We are working hard to pull the plug on the illegal jobs which lure illegal immigrants to come to the UK in the first place.

“Illegal working is unfair on honest employers who recruit staff with the right to work in the UK and who pay them a proper salary.”

The operations in the Swansea Valley come at a time of massive reform to the UK’s immigration system.

Employers unsure of the steps they need to take to avoid employing illegal workers can visit www.bia.homeoffice.gov.uk/employingmigrants or they can call the UK Border Agency employers’ helpline on 0845 010 6677.

Anyone who suspects that illegal workers are being employed at a business in Wales can call the UK Border Agency on 029 2092 4727.