TWO Gwent businesses were fined more than £30,000 for employing illegal workers.

Figures from the UK Border Agency show that two businesses were fined a total of £33,000 between July and September last year.

UK Border Agency officers raided Asha takeaway, High Street, Blaina, where a Bangladeshi man was found working illegally.

The business was issued with a potential fine notice and has since been fined £8,500 after failing to provide evidence that the correct right-to-work checks were made before the man was employed. Steps are being taken to remove the illegal worker from the country.

A further raid was carried out at Phoenix Garden IV, High Street, Caerleon, on June 23, 2011, where five of the six staff on duty were arrested after immigration checks revealed they were illegal workers. Three Malaysian men have since been removed from the UK. Another Malaysian man and a Chinese man are also being removed from the country. All five were working as chefs and waiters.

The restaurant was issued with a potential fine notice for employing illegal workers and given the opportunity to prove correct right-to-work checks were made before the workers were taken on. They failed to do so and were fined £25,000.

Jane Farleigh, the UK Border Agency’s regional director for Wales, said: "The message is clear for employers - we will not tolerate illegal working and we will take firm action against those who ignore the rules."