Restaurant Director Handed Six-Year Ban For Employing Illegal Workers
In a recent case highlighting the consequences of employing unauthorised workers, a restaurant director was given a six-year ban from company leadership. At an establishment in West Wickham, Croydon, two Bangladeshi nationals were found working without proper authorisation.
The restaurant’s commercial director, 36-year-old Mohammed Miah, came under scrutiny following a 2023 operation by Immigration Enforcement. It was revealed that two individuals in their 30s and 40s lacked the legal right to work in the United Kingdom. One worker claimed recent employment, while the other reported a two-month tenure.
Miah had been leading Indian restaurant, I Naga Zaal Ltd, since July 2022. His failure to conduct proper work eligibility checks resulted in a £20,000 fine for the company. However, this penalty remained unsettled when I Naga Zaal entered liquidation in June 2023. To make matters worse for the business, it owed over £75,000 in outstanding debts.
The Insolvency Service’s Chief Investigator, Kevin Read, emphasised the seriousness of Miah’s actions:
“Mohammed Miah employed two people who did not have the right to work in the UK, breaching immigration legislation and the standards we expect of company directors.
His directorship ban means he cannot now be involved in the promotion, formation or management of a company in the UK until September 2030. We will continue to work with our partners at the Home Office to clamp down on rogue employers who fail to comply with their statutory obligations.”
David Tripp, representing the Home Office’s Immigration Compliance Enforcement for South London, stressed the crucial role of business owners in verifying employee work eligibility.:
“Business owners play an important role in ensuring the workers they employ have the right to work. It is clear Mohammed Miah failed to do so, which is why he can no longer operate as a company director. We’re dedicated to tackling illegal working as it undercuts honest employers and disadvantages legitimate job seekers.”
The Secretary of State for Business and Trade accepted a disqualification undertaking from Miah, and his six-year ban commenced on Tuesday, September 17th. This prohibition extends to any involvement in company operations without court approval.
It’s worth noting that while a restaurant continues to operate at the same location, it does so under a different company name, with Miah no longer serving as a director.
This article originally appeared on The Insolvency Service website here