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Wolverhampton firm faces £60,000 fine over illegal immigrants

A business in Wolverhampton faces possible fines of up to £60,000 after three illegal immigrants were found on the premises, it emerged today.

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The trio were discovered when Home Office immigration officials swooped on the firm.

Two of the men – aged 37 and 53 – had entered the country illegally while a 49-year-old had overstayed his visa.

They were taken away for questioning but have since been released and are required to report regularly to the Home Office while their future is decided.

The employer has been served with a notice that they might be fined up to £20,000-a-head for any illegal immigrant found to be working for them whose right to be in this country had not been properly checked.

One of the men detained was taken back to his lodgings to collect some documentary evidence and it was discovered that neither the man nor a house mate had the right to rent.

Their landlord has been served with a notice warning he could be fined up to £3,000 for every illegal tenant whose validity to be in the country had not been closely examined. This move is under a new power introduced in December and being trialled in the West Midlands before a possible roll out over the rest of the country. It puts the responsibility on landlords to check that a would-be tenant has the right to rent before allowing them move in.

Claire Portlock, Assistant Director, West Midlands Home Office Immigration Enforcement, said: "Businesses and landlords in the West Midlands should be aware that there are laws against employing or renting to people with no right to be in the UK.

"People should always carry out the correct checks on potential staff or tenants and if they fail to do so, they should expect to face financial penalties."

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