Legal News

The directors of a restaurant in Kingston, Surrey, have been disqualified from running a company for six years, after they were found to be employing illegal workers.

Abu Muhammod Yusuf Islam, 49, from Ilford in Essex and Mohammod Abdul Monaf, 58, from Twickenham in Middlesex were the directors of M & Y Enterprises Ltd.

M & Y Enterprises Limited was incorporated on 9 December 2002 and traded as Deea Restaurant at 145-147 Richmond Road in Kingston, Surrey.

On 27 January 2015, Home Office Immigration Enforcement Officers discovered that they were employing two workers who were not eligible to work in the UK – an offence under the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006.

The Company went into Creditors Voluntary Liquidation on 29 February 2016, owing £76,853 to creditors – of which £30,000 was the outstanding penalty imposed by the Home Office Immigration and Enforcement for employing the illegal workers.

Mr Islam was a director from 12 December 2002 to 29 April 2015 and Mr Monaf was a director from 12 December 2002 to liquidation.

Both men have given undertakings to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, which prevents them from becoming directly or indirectly involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company until 2023.

Deputy Head of Investigations with the Insolvency Service, Martin Gitner, said:

“Illegal workers are not protected under employment law and as well as cheating legitimate job seekers out of employment opportunities, these employers defraud the taxpayer and undercut honest competitors. The Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006, makes employers responsible for preventing illegal workers in the UK – to comply with the law, a company must check and be able to prove documents have been checked prior to recruitment that show a person is entitled to work.

The public has a right to expect that those who break the law will face the consequences – and this should serve as a warning to other directors tempted to take on illegal staff.”

Duncan Lewis Business Immigration Solicitors

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Duncan Lewis immigration lawyers can also advice on illegal entry to the UK, the Modern Slavery Bill, and UK immigration law and the Human Rights Act.

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For expert legal advice on international recruitment and UK business immigration law, call Duncan Lewis business immigration solicitors on 0333 772 0409.