TWO BUSTED AT WORLD BUFFET
Officers swoop at Mr Basrai’s restaurant
Two illegal workers were arrested after immigration officers raided a popular Ayr restaurant.
They swooped on Mr Basrai’s World Buffet in Beresford Terrace while the buffet eaterie was serving customers. Stunned shoppers and business people looked on in shock as the operation unfolded early on Thursday evening.
An Indian man aged 20 faces being kicked out of the country and is being held in custody. A 40- year- old Iranian man was also working illegally and his case is being investigated.
We l l - k n o w n o w n e r Bobby Singh, right , told the Pos t : “The officers did not tell us why it was happening, just a routine check on the documents of employees.”
Two rogue workers at a well- known restaurant were seized during a raid by immigration officials.
A team moved in on Mr Basrai’s World Buffet in Ayr as the restaurant was serving customers.
Stunned shoppers and businesspeople in Beresford Terrace watched as the raid unfolded early on Thursday evening.
The government enforcers had received a tip- off that the buffet restaurant was employing illegal staff.
Now the business faces being fined up to £ 40,000 after two men were caught on the premises.
An Indian man aged 20 faces being kicked out of the country and is being held in custody.
An Iranian man, aged 40, is also also accused of working illegally and his case is being investigated.
One eyewitness said: “The immigration team swooped quickly at 5.30pm as they didn’t want anyone sneaking away.
“It was a very public raid by uniformed officers and must have been very embarrassing for the owners.”
Mr Basrai’s was trading as usual on Friday.
The restaurant was opened more than six years ago by Raghbir Basrai and features a menu of Indian, Chinese and Italian food.
It is now run by Basrai’s brother- in- law Rabinder ‘ Bobby’ Singh, proprietor of The Taj in Prestwick.
Bobby said this week: “The officers did not tell us why it was happening, just a routine check on the documents of employees.
“Everything was fine and they went away.”
When we said we had information that two men were working illegally he replied: “That’s a lie. Who told you that?”
When we informed him it was the Home Office in London he replied: “Yeah, OK.”
A Home Office spokesman said it was an “intelligence- led” operation.
He said: “Checks identified two men were working illegally.
“They were a 20- year- old Indian national, who was working in breach of his visa conditions, and a 40- year- old Iranian who had no permission to work.
“The Indian man was transferred to immigration detention pending his removal from the UK. The Iranian man’s case is being progressed.
“Where illegal working is suspected businesses may be served a notice warning that a financial penalty of up to £ 20,000 per illegal worker may be imposed.
“The employer will be liable unless they can demonstrate that appropriate right- to- work document checks were carried out, such as seeing a passport or Home Office document confirming permission to work.
“Investigations into Basrai’s World Buffet are continuing.”
The Taj is due to open this Saturday for carry- outs after a long refurb following a fire.
It was a very public raid by uniformed officers