2 July 2010 Last updated at 10:18 ET

Raid uncovers six illegal workers in Loughborough

Border Agency officials have uncovered six illegal workers during raids in a Leicestershire town.

Acting on intelligence, the agency visited five businesses in Warwick Way and Nottingham Road in Loughborough.

One Iranian, three Bangladeshis, two Chinese nationals were found to be working with no right to employment in the UK.

The businesses were issued with on-the-spot penalties and may now face a fine of up to £10,000 per illegal worker.

Proper checks

The firms will have the chance to prove whether they carried out the necessary right-to-work checks, the agency said.

Companies who fail to carry out the required checks face fines of up to £10,000 per worker.

Phil Dyer, UK Border Agency East Midlands assistant director, said: "Illegal working is unfair on honest employers who recruit staff with the right to work in the UK and who pay them a proper salary.

"Bosses that don't play by the rules will get struck off our register, lose the right to recruit staff from outside Europe, face on-the-spot fines and could potentially end up in jail.

"There are strict rules about which foreign nationals can get a job in the UK and businesses have a clear responsibility to carry out the right checks."