Three illegal immigrants who were working in a Whitechapel restaurant have been deported following a UK Border Agency raid.

The Baraka Eatery in Whitechapel Road was visited by officials in August, with the three men subsequently held in immigration detention for around a week before being deported back to their native Bangladesh earlier this month.

The restaurant could now face a fine of �30,000 if it fails to provide evidence that it carried out appropriate checks on its employees and whether they had the right to remain and work in the UK.

UK Border Agency representative Diane Kimpton said: “We’re carrying out operations like this almost every day in London, and where we find people who are in the UK illegally we will seek to remove them.

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

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

One of those arrested was a 25-year-old who was found to be working in breach of his visa conditions and two other men, aged 27 and 33, were deported for overstaying their visas.