A popular Buckie restaurant has been closed after five illegal workers were found on the premises earlier this week.
Immigration enforcement officers visited the Bengal Brasserie in the town acting on a tip-off that illegal workers were being employed there. Four Bangladeshi nationals aged between 22 and 49 were found working at the premises having overstayed their visas, while a 35-year-old man was also found to have entered the country illegally.
The restaurant owners now face a possible £50,000 fine and business owner, Halal Khan, has said that he now has to close.
Mr Khan said: “Some of these men worked for me for two or three years and are nice boys, everyone knows them in Buckie. They gave me their insurance cards or driving licences when they started – it is embarrassing to ask for passports.
“I have lost my business – good food, good reputation, everything was going good for me but now I have to close.”
Tuesday’s raid on the Cluny Square restaurant was the result of intelligence received by the Home Office immigration enforcement team, for whom a spokeswoman said: “We are sending a clear message to employers who choose to use illegal labour – we will find you.”
Update: insideMoray understands that the Bengal Brasserie has now reopened.