ONE man has been deported and three are in detention awaiting removal after the UK Border Agency found them working illegally at two restaurants in Cornwall, one in Callington.

Acting on information received, immigration officers raided Red Panda in Callington on October 18.

After the immigration status of staff was checked, a 24-year-old Chinese man was found to have stayed in the country illegally after his student visa expired and a 38-year-old Chinese man was found to have entered the country illegally.

Officers then want to Saltash Tandoori in Saltash, where two Bangladeshi men were found working illegally.

All four men found in the restaurants were arrested and transferred to immigration detention.

The 21-year-old Bangladeshi man has since been removed to his home country while the other three are awaiting deportation.

Both businesses now face penalties of up to £10,000 for each illegal worker employed. To avoid a fine, the employers must provide evidence that the correct right-to-work checks were made on the men, such as seeing a passport or Home Office document.

Kenny Chapman, who heads the UK Border Agency's local immigration team for the South West, said: 'We will not tolerate illegal working which undercuts wages and exploits vulnerable workers.

'We do not expect employers to be immigration experts but they must make basic checks on migrant workers before they employ them.'

Every year, the UK Border Agency imposes civil penalties on thousands of companies which fail to carry out legally-required checks on their staff.

Anyone who has information on suspected immigration offenders can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.