A HEREFORD restaurant has had its licence suspended following an immigration raid.

Jalsagor restaurant in St Owen Street is not allowed to serve alcohol and also not allowed to serve food after 11pm, until a full licence review is carried out.

Herefordshire Council's licensing committee held an expedited licence review of the Indian and Bangladeshi restaurant today with a full review planned for June 16.

The committee heard that Wahida Khatun is the premises licence holder and runs the restaurant along with her husband, Joynal Abaden.

Sergeant Duncan Reynolds told the committee that at 7pm on Friday, May 19 a joint operation between police and UK Border and Immigration Agency took place at the restaurant.

Three men were detained and found to be in breach of the law.

He said one man was working as a waiter and two were working in the kitchens. One was found to be in the country illegally and the other two were over-stayers. All three were taken to a holding detention centre.

He said: “The employment of illegal immigrants in these circumstances is viewed as serious crime that could attract a prison sentence of three years or more on conviction.”

Sgt Reynolds said there should be serious consideration to revoke the premises licence when it is believed that the crime prevention licensing objective is undermined.

In 2011, five males were detained in similar circumstances when the restaurant was under the same control and management of Dena Restaurants Ltd. The committee heard that following this, the restaurant was required to keep a logbook of everybody who worked there, along with details such as a passport number and national insurance number.

Barrister Huw Shepheard, who was representing Mr Abaden and Mrs Khatun, said: "It is not accepted that there were three people working at the restaurant illegally. The situation is that one individual had just started employment there. He had not been fully interviewed and his status to work had not been fully determined.

"The other two were simply visitors. They were in the kitchen area visiting someone who worked in the kitchen and were dressed in appropriate protective clothing to not contaminate the food."

But the committee said they were concerned that at least one individual had been allowed to work at the premises without the requisite immigration checks, and suspended the licence with immediate effect.