MANAGERS of a Wickford kebab shop face paying a £20,000 fine after immigration officials carried out a night-time raid on their premises.

Immigration enforcement officers swooped on Marmaris Kebab and Pizza, in the Broadway, at about 11pm on Friday.

When immigration checks were carried out, officials discovered that a 43-year-old Turkish man had overstayed his Visa.

The Home Office said he was escorted from the premises as he did not have permission to work.

He was arrested and detained pending his removal from the UK.

A spokesman for the Home Office said: “Marmaris Kebabs has been served with a notice warning that a financial penalty of up to £20,000 per illegal worker may be imposed on the employer unless evidence is provided that appropriate right to work document checks were carried out, such as seeing a passport or Home Office document.”

An eye-witness to the raid, who did not want to be identified, said: “I was walking down the street at about 11pm when I saw the immigration vans. parked outside the kebab shop.

“There was quite a few of them.

“As I walked past, they were speaking to some of the workers inside, it seemed quite peaceful.

“It is good that the Home Office are keeping on top of illegal workers.”

David Harrison, independent councillor for Wickford Park, said that it was important that immigration officials made sure that people were working legally.

He said: “Well done to the border officials.

“If people are here illegally and working illegally then that can have an effect on people working legally.

“They are taking a job away from somebody who otherwise could be working.

“I think that it is important for the border officials to keep an eye on people who are working illegally.”

The manager at Marmaris Kebab and Pizza did not want to offer a comment when approached by the Echo.

Contact the Home Office if you think someone is living or working in the UK illegally, or is employing someone who isn’t allowed to work in the UK.

Call the immigration enforcement hotline on 0300 123 7000 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 to report a crime anonymously.