A raid by the UK Border Agency and Northamptonshire police yesterday (23 September) found that six of the company's 16 employees were illegal Indian nationals.

Four men, aged 44, 37, 36 and 27, were failed asylum seekers and two other men, aged 40 and 35, were working in breach of valid student visas.

WMC faces a fine of £10,000 for each illegal worker it employed unless it can prove that the correct pre-employment checks were carried out, while the Border Agency is working to remove all six from the country.

The company did not wish to comment on the raid.

Chief immigration officer Andy Dann, from the UK Border Agency’s Cambridgeshire and East Northamptonshire team, said: "There is no excuse for businesses failing to carry out the right pre-employment checks and there are severe financial penalties for those who ignore these responsibilities.

"If an employer comes to us for guidance on what they need to do to meet their legal obligations we are always happy to help them. However, firms intent on operating outside the law should be warned that they will be found and they will be punished."

The enforcement operation was part of planned nationwide action by the UK Border Agency to tackle illegal working, sham marriages, bogus colleges and organised immigration crime.

Immigration minister Damian Green said: "The Government has tasked the UK Border Agency with carrying out an intense period of enforcement activity over the summer. We are determined to make it harder than ever for illegal immigrants to come to the UK.

"Illegal immigration puts pressure on public services, local communities and legitimate businesses at a time when this country cannot afford it."