SIX men have been detained during immigration raids.

Immigration Enforcement carried out raids on two businesses in South Shields on Thursday evening.

Four Bangladeshi men were questioned at Zeera in Ocean Road and a 27-year-old Indian man and a 27-year-old Bangladeshi man were found at Masterchef in New Green Street.

All six men have been detained on suspicion of outstaying their visas, pending their removal from the UK.

Both businesses were served notices warning they are liable for a £20,000 fine per illegal worker unless they can show they carried out checks.

Assistant Director Phillippa Russell, from the North East and Cumbria Immigration Enforcement team, said: “These successful operations reflect our ongoing work to identify people abusing the UK’s immigration system.

“All of our operations are intelligence led and I would encourage people with detailed and specific information about illegal immigration to contact us.

“Using illegal labour is not victimless. It cheats the taxpayer, undercuts honest businesses and means legitimate job seekers are denied employment opportunities. It also exploits some of society’s most vulnerable people.

“Employers who do not carry out the simple checks to ensure their staff have the right to work in the UK will face the consequences.”