Six people arrested as east London Tayyabs restaurant is shut by immigration officers

Six people have been arrested at a curry house in east London that was temporarily shut by immigration authorities this week for employing illegal workers.

On Tuesday (29 August), letters appeared in the window of Tayyabs in Whitechapel showing an illegal working closure notice.

 

Holy Shish!! @1tayyabs issued with a closure notice?? A dark day for London. pic.twitter.com/TQMngRRXv4

 

— Good News Hackney (@GoodNewsHackney)

Holy Shish!! @1tayyabs issued with a closure notice?? A dark day for London. pic.twitter.com/TQMngRRXv4

— Good News Hackney (@GoodNewsHackney) August 30, 2017

A letter from the restaurant also placed in the window read: "As you are aware, our restaurant has been issued with a closure notice. We are working hard to resolve this matter. We hope to open on Thursday 31st August."

The restaurant, which was founded in 1972, is now open for business following a hearing at Stratford magistrates' court.

No one at Tayyabs was available for comment.

The Home Office confirmed to The Caterer that immigration enforcement officers visited the restaurant on 25 August and found nine offenders.

Six Pakistani nationals were arrested. Five of them are to be deported, while the sixth must report regularly to Immigration Enforcement.

The closure notice was served to Tayaabs due to £95,000 of outstanding civil penalty fines. A civil penalty referral notice was also served on the business, which carries a fine of up to £180,000.

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