SHOP RAIDED
Tip off prompts swoop by officers
A takeaway boss praised on national TV for the running of his franchise was this week defending his operation after an immigration raid.
Officers descended on Pizza GoGo in Tonbridge Road, Maidstone, last Thursday after a tipoff and arrested four men.
A 23-year-old from Afghanistan and a Chinese national aged 25 had overstayed their visitor visas.
A second Afghan national, aged 21, was found to have entered the UK illegally.
All three have been detained pending deportation.
The fourth man, a 35-year-old from China who had entered the UK illegally, must now report regularly to immigration enforcement officers while his case is progressed.
Franchisee Mansour Gholami maintained that Pizza GoGo had done nothing wrong.
In 2012, Mr Gholami appeared on Channel 4’s Undercover Boss, where the Pizza GoGo owner was so impressed with his work ethic that he made the franchisee a national ambassador for the company.
Mr Gholami said two of the men were customers, while another was receiving training at the firm. The Chinese man, who was released, works there as a chef.
Mr Gholami said: “The officers came to find a man they were looking for – he was here having a pizza, breaking his fast for Ramadan. He was coming here for something to eat and didn’t work here. All our staff wear uniforms.
“They spoke to some other people, including our chef, who has been released.
“We have done nothing wrong. It is a misunderstanding.”
But a Home Office spokesman said a civil penalty action was being considered.
Firms can be fined up to £20,000 per illegal worker unless bosses can demonstrate appropriate checks were carried out.
Richard Lederle, head of the Kent and Sussex Immigration Enforcement team, said: “We are working hard to tackle illegal working and those who abuse the UK’s immigration system.
“We expect everyone here illegally to leave the UK voluntarily. For those who don’t, the message is clear. We will find, detain and remove you.
“There are simple checks employers can carry out to ensure their employees have the right to work in the UK. Those who choose to ignore the rules will face the consequences.”