Restaurant owner jailed for immigration offences

The owner of a number of Indian restaurants in the region has been jailed for six months after admitting trying to cheat UK immigration rules.

Shafiqul Haque, 61, of Waterside Lane, Rochdale, was sentenced at Carlisle Crown Court last Friday after previously pleading guilty to six offences of facilitating illegal working in the UK.

the UK Borders Agency said the conviction was the result of an investigation which started back in July 2009. Illegal immigrants were found to be working and living on site at Tagore Restaurant in Ambleside and The Emperor of India in Windermere, which were leased by Haque.

Both restaurants were found to have foreign nationals working illegally and Haque was arrested for offences of facilitation relating to employing and harbouring individuals not entitled to be in the UK.

DS Dave Stalker, north west immigration crime team, UK Border Agency said: “This is an example of a man who disregarded the law in order to profit from employing illegal immigrants who were brought into our communities to work for little or no pay and receive a poor standard of accommodation.

“Haque has earned a living through the exploitation of his staff and by avoiding taxes and national insurance payments that other legitimate employers would have had to pay.”

As part of the investigation, an application was made under the Proceeds of Crime Act to recover money earned from the offences. A hearing setting the amount which may have to be paid has been adjourned.