Fury over immigrant swoop at takeaway
The owner of a family restaurant has accused an immigration raid team of treating him like a criminal.
Twelve investigators from the Home Office burst into the Noor Indian takeaway in Edinburgh and ordered Ghulam Hussain, 44 and his daughter Sana, 19, to close.
Customers who were waiting for their meals were ordered off the premises in South Clerk Street.
An office was forced open and searched, then Ghulam, Sana and five members of staff were interviewed for two-and-a-half hours.
A search warrant stated they were suspected of hiring illegal workers.
Neither Ghulam, Sana, nor any of their staff were arrested or charged.
A 58-year- old man was told he was under investigation. The Hussains say he is the father of one of their chefs and was visiting him from Middlesbrough.
Ghulam said: “We were treated like criminals. They just barged in and ordered us to shut everything down.”
Sana added: “There was a big crowd outside watching what was going on, which was so embarrassing for us.”
The Hussains reopened the shop later. They plan to seek compensation from the Home Office for lost trade.
The Home Office said the raid was intelligence-based.
A spokesman added: “A 58-year-old Pakistani man who had no permission to work was escorted from the premises and must now report to Immigration Enforcement while his case is progressed.”