FOUR illegal workers have been found at a Derby beauty salon after tip-offs from the public.
Three of the four women, who are all Indian, had outstayed their working visas while a fourth had breached the working conditions of her visa, the Home Office said.
Home Office Immigration Enforcement officers visited Beauty Box, in Stenson Road, Derby, at about 5pm yesterday.
Staff at the business were questioned to establish whether or not they had the right to live and work in the UK.
One of the four women, aged 29, was detained pending removal from the UK and two, aged 30 and 35, were ordered to report regularly to the Home Office while their cases are progressed.
A fourth woman, aged 27, was arrested for working in breach of her visa conditions. She has been detained while steps are taken to remove her from the UK. Sim Atwal, owner of Beauty Box, said: "We had four workers arrested following the Home Office visit on Thursday. "Two of the workers had come on student visas and were actually paying us to work at the salon to learn the trade and to improve their English. "The other two presented us with identification which we checked and which looked legitimate and allowed them to work in the UK but, it seems, was false. "We are co-operating fully with the Home Office on their investigations."
A Home Office spokesman said the business was served a notice warning that a civil penalty of up to £20,000 per illegal worker found could be imposed.
The business will be liable to pay this penalty unless they can demonstrate that the correct pre-employment checks were carried out. If proof is not provided, this is a potential total of up to £80,000.
Alison Spowage, assistant director of East Midlands Home Office immigration enforcement, said: "Our dedicated teams respond quickly to reports of illegal working and we will continue to make life tough for those who seek to abuse the rules.
"Illegal working is not victimless. It cheats the treasury of vital funds, undercuts honest employers and often exploits some of society's most vulnerable people. It also means legitimate job seekers are denied employment opportunities.
"Employers who flout the rules could face a heavy penalty. I would urge members of the public to report suspected illegal working to us."
According to its Facebook page Beauty Box says it is " the latest must see ladies only salon based in Derby, with plenty of free parking."
It says: ""No appointments necessary, just walk in and be assured that our well experienced staff will provide you the ultimate beauty treatment."
The Home Office said the two women who have been asked to report were effectively "on the equivalent of police bail" whereby they must report regularly to Home Office officials.
The other two are currently being held at an immigration removal centre while the necessary paperwork was being done to send them back to their own country.
A spokesman said: "All of the women we have arrested were working in the salon doing a variety of beauty treatments.
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Anyone with information about suspected immigration abuse can visit https://www.gov.uk/report-immigration-crime or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Information to help employers carry out checks to prevent illegal working can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/employers-illegal-working-penalties.
