Last updated 23:31, Wednesday, 02 July 2008

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SEVEN suspected illegal immigrants were arrested after police swooped on two Chinese take aways in Maryport.

Hong Kong on Crosby Street and Pearl Garden on Wood Street were targeted by officials from the UK Border Agency and police as part of a series of raids in Cumbria.

Police entered the Hong Kong at 6.30pm last night and arrested two men and a woman for illegal working.

Two of those arrested at the Hong Kong are on bail pending removal from England because they are failed aslyum seekers.

It was shut down for the night.

They then raided the Pearl Garden at about 8.30pm, where three men were arrested for illegal working. Another man was arrested for illegal entry into the country.

It was allowed to stay open because British nationals turned up to take over.

The businesses now face a £10,000 fine per person working illegally and all the workers face deportation.

Officials were tipped off about the illegal workers in January.

Steve Lynch, immigration officer, said: "We don't rely on force, we work by talking to the people in question, the situations we get ourselves into can be dangerous.

"We can't get complacent. You have to be aware because sometimes these people don't want to go back to their own country."

The UK Border Agency carry out about 50 raids a week to target illegal working in the north west.