IMMIGRATION officials swooped on a popular Liverpool restaurant and detained three men who were working in the country illegally.
The officers targeted Caesar’s Palace, in Renshaw Street, where they spot- checked staff’s papers. Three men, including an Iranian, an Iraqi and a Nigerian were arrested.
They are now on bail while immigration officers make further inquiries.
The restaurant has now been given 28 days to prove it properly vetted its staff. It could face a fine of up to £10,000 each for two of the men, who started work at the restaurant after new penalty legislation was brought in.
A UK Border and Immigration Agency spokesman said: "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. Employers who don’t play by the rules face fines and could potentially end up in jail."
This is the most recent in a series of high-profile immigration operations on Merseyside. Last week, up to 22 illegal immigrants were discovered hiding in two shipments bound for Merseyside.
