THE owners of a pizza takeaway in North Yorkshire could face a huge fine after three illegal workers were found during a raid on the premises.

Home Office immigration enforcement officers checked staff at Domino’s Pizza on Knaresborough Road, Harrogate, and discovered two men, aged 28 and 31, had overstayed their visas and a 27-year-old man was in the UK illegally.

The three men are now being detained pending their removal from the country and the franchisee for the takeaway has been given a civil penalty notice which leaves them liable for fines of up to £10,000 per employee unless they can show the correct checks were carried out before the trio were employed.

“Our teams carry out visits like this in Yorkshire almost every day, with more planned for the future, because illegal working has a serious impact on communities, undermines legitimate business and takes jobs from those who are genuinely allowed to work,” said Julie Curle, acting assistant director at the Home Office’s Yorkshire and Humber immigration and enforcement team.