The Government has issued more than £700,000 worth of fines to businesses employing illegal immigrants since introducing tougher restrictions in May, with restaurant operators the main offenders.
A list of fines issued to employers using illegal workers has been published on the UK Border Agency website, complete with the names of businesses, owners, and the number of illegal workers.
A total of £722,500 in fines have been imposed since early May for the use of illegal workers, with London and the South East accounting for more than a third of the fines, and some employers facing penalties in excess of £20,000.
More than 135 illegal workers had been used by 97 employers since 1 May, 2008, of which 68 were restaurants or takeaways. These were largely independent operators, but big names such as Strada and TGI Friday also feature on the list.
The UK Border Agency said it will not publish details of those employers whose cases are still subject to investigation, objection, appeal or where operations are ongoing. However, details are released to the national and local media.
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By Daniel Thomas
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