AN Oldbury firm could face a hefty fine after seven of its employees were found to have entered the UK illegally.

Immigration officers, acting on intelligence, visited Glass Express on the Anglo African Industrial Estate yesterday morning (Wednesday, January 31).

Checks were carried out to ensure that staff had the right to live and work in the UK - however seven Indian men aged between 23 and 43 were found to have entered the UK illegally.

Four were detained pending removal from the country and three were ordered to report regularly to the Home Office as they had ongoing immigration cases.

Glass Express was served a civil penalty referral notice warning that a financial penalty of up to £20,000 per illegal worker found will be imposed unless the employer can demonstrate that appropriate right to work document checks were carried out, such as seeing a passport or Home Office document confirming permission to work.

Carol Scarr, head of the West Midlands Immigration Enforcement team, said: “My officers carry out regular intelligence-based operations such as this to tackle abuse of the immigration rules.

"Where illegal workers are discovered, employers who have not carried out the correct ‘right to work’ checks face a heavy fine.

“Illegal working undercuts law-abiding employers, cheats legitimate job seekers out of employment opportunities and defrauds the public purse.

“I urge anyone with specific and detailed information about suspected immigration abuse to get in touch.”

People with information about suspected immigration abuse should visit www.gov.uk/report-immigration-crime.

Alternatively, call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.