Home Office recommends Loddon Indian restaurant closure

The Home Office said paying workers in food rather than money amounted to modern-day slavery

An Indian restaurant is facing closure by the Home Office due to modern slavery concerns.

The Raj on Bridge Street in Loddon, Norfolk, was raided in October by an immigration enforcement team as part of an "intelligence-led" operation.

Two out of four staff members were found to be working illegally.

The Home Office has recommended the premises' licence be taken away, after illegal working was identified.

A report to South Norfolk Council said remedying the situation was "insufficient".

It said: "Merely remedying the existing situation is insufficient to act as a deterrent to the licence holder from engaging in criminal activity. 

"This business has clearly failed to meet the prevention of crime and disorder objective.

"Whether by negligence or wilful blindness, illegal workers were engaged in activity on the premises."

'Mistake'

Mohammad Uddin, manager of The Raj, admitted he had not completed the checks required to make sure the employees had the right to work in the United Kingdom.

During the investigation, the Home Office discovered that instead of paying his employees, Mr Uddin was giving them food, which the report to the council classed as "effectively modern-day slavery".

However, Mr Uddin said the arrests were a "mistake".

"The people arrested were not working at my restaurant and they were coming in for cleaning just for one or two hours, and that was when they raided," he said.

The restaurant manager said he was working alongside his solicitor to "challenge" the review and the arrests, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

"We are an honest, hardworking, business and love serving the people of our town and will fight this unfair decision," he added.

Michelle Bartram, licensing officer at Norfolk Police said: "Norfolk Constabulary clearly supports the review of the premises licence by Immigration Office and acknowledges that the employing of illegal workers is a serious offence."