Six illegal workers were arrested during immigration raids in Burnt Oak yesterday.

Home Office Immigration Enforcement officers and the Metropolitan Police targeted three shops in Watling Avenue after receiving reports some of their employees did not have the right to work in the UK.

At Afro Cosmetics, officers arrested three Pakistani men. One 26-year-old had overstayed his visa and two others aged 20 and 28 were working in breach of their visa conditions.

Officers then visited Bambino’s Kebab and Pizza takeaway, where they arrested a 20-year-old Afghan man who was a failed asylum seeker and Pakistani man, aged 24, who had overstayed his visa.

At Isabel’s Hairdressers, police and immigration officers arrested a 48-year-old Jamaican woman who had overstayed her visa.

The Jamaican woman has been placed on immigration bail while steps are taken to remove her from the country.

The others were transferred to immigration detention pending their removal from the UK.

Officers warned the businesses a civil penalty of up to £10,000 per illegal worker found would be imposed unless they were able to prove the correct right-to-work checks had been carried out.

This means Afro Cosmetics could be fined £30,000, Bambino’s Kebab and Pizza Shop £20,000 and Isabel’s Hairdressers £10,000.

Head of the Home Office Immigration Enforcement team in North and Central London Steve Fisher added more raids like this were being planned in the area.

He added: “These arrests show that we will not hesitate to take the strongest action possible against those who are in the country illegally. The message is clear. If you are found to have no right to be in the UK you will be removed.

“Illegal working has a serious impact on communities, undermining legitimate businesses and taking jobs from those who are genuinely allowed to work.

“While we are happy to work with businesses to let them know what checks need to be done on staff, those who do break the law should know that we are out there looking for them and they will face heavy fines.

“I would urge members of the public with information about suspected immigration abuse to get in touch.”