Hungerford restaurant raided by immigration authorities

A RESTAURANT is to have its licence reviewed after suspected undocumented immigrants were discovered in a raid.

Acting on a tip-off, officers from the Home Office Immigration Compliance and Enforcement (ICE) team, accompanied by five police officers, gained entry to Amore Italian Restaurant in Charnham Street.

ICE discovered two people working inside "who had no right to be doing so".

A report added: "The designated premises supervisor (Lentia Veliai) was at the address and was not forthcoming with information and evasive when asked questions regarding these employees and who was responsible for hiring them.

"The business has employed people who have no right to work in the UK.

"This means no checks have been carried out on the employees therefore there is no knowledge of the person's history; this could put any member of the public at unnecessary risk.

"It is apparent that both the premises licence holder and the designated premises supervisor are not abiding by the Licencing Objective of the Prevention of Crime and Disorder, and are showing disregard to their responsibilities as both personal and premises licence holders."

The raid, which happened on December 14, was prompted by a tip-off to the Home Office regarding "illegal working and safeguarding concerns".

The review application concludes: "Home Office (Immigration Enforcement) believe (premises licence holder) Mr Ekrem Uka is not preventing crime and disorder and therefore should no longer be allowed to hold a premises licence.

"Mr Ekrem Uka is using his restaurant businesses to employ illegal workers which is strictly prohibited under the Licensing Act 2003 and Immigration Act 1971(aa)."

The document states that using such workers potentially

n Exploits the undocumented by paying them less than the minimum wage and provides no employment or income protection.

n Encourages other overstayers/illegals to seek similar work.

n Allows a business to unfairly undercut other businesses by employing cheap labour.

n Means workers are often housed in cramped and unsatisfactory conditions by the employer as part of their working arrangement.

A sign posted on the restaurant door states the premises licence will be reviewed as a consequence of the raid.

The Newbury Weekly News contacted Amore and a man who said he was a spokesman for the family run business insisted the matter was a misunderstanding and that two workers who were reportedly involved were permitted to work in the UK.

He added that no one had been arrested during the operation and he expected the application to be challenged if it was proceeded with.