Colin Cheng Chinese takeaway fined around £14,000 after two staff arrested in immigration raid

A popular Chinese takeaway in Middlesbrough has been fined about £14,000 after two workers were arrested in immigration raids.

The Home Office said Colin Cheng’s Takeaway, in Marton, has been fully compliant and paid the fine.

The pair, from China, were caught during an immigration enforcement operation at the Stokesley Road takeaway in September.

Officers were acting on intelligence that individuals with no right to be in the UK were working at the business. Background checks on staff members revealed two men working illegally.

One man, aged 41, had entered the UK without leave to do so and the other, aged 28, was found to be a failed asylum seeker.

Both men were arrested and taken to an immigration detention centre.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “One of the men was removed from the UK on November 18. The other man’s case is still being progressed.”

He added that the business owner Colin Cheng “has been compliant with the repayment process” and has paid the civil penalty fine. He said no further action will be taken.

The Gazette understands the fine was in the region of £14,000.

Colin Cheng told the Gazette at the time of the raid that he had believed the workers “were entitled to be here,” and that the business was co-operating with the Home Office investigation.

He said today: “Everything is good now.”

Assistant director Phillippa Russell, from the North East & Cumbria Home Office immigration enforcement team, said the arrests were “a clear warning to those in Middlesbrough abusing our immigration laws”.

“There will be no slowdown in our efforts to arrest, detain and remove you from the UK,” she said.

“Employers who use illegal labour are defrauding the taxpayer, undercutting genuine employers and denying legitimate job hunters work.

“We are happy to work with employers who want to play by the rules but those which continue to flout them will face heavy financial penalties.”

She urged anyone with detailed and specific information about suspected immigration abuse to get contact the Home Office on http://bit.ly/1DN8Tzn or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Information to help employers prevent illegal working can be found at http://bit.ly/1DN8TPD .