Supermarket chain Costcutter could be fined up to £40,000 after two illegal workers were arrested in a raid on a Midland store.

The men, both aged 32, were held at an outlet at the Trinity Centre in Halesowen Road, Cradley Heath at 8.45am on Tuesday. Home Office staff swooped after receiving a tip-off and found they had no right to work in the UK. Both men were later temporarily freed but could be deported if they are discovered to have been in Britain illegally.

Costcutter could now be fined up to £20,000 for each illegal worker unless it can prove it carried out proper checks on their employment status. Carol Scarr, Assistant Director at the West Midlands Immigration Enforcement team, said:

“This successful operation reflects our work to identify people abusing the UK’s immigration system. All of our operations are intelligence-led and I would encourage people with detailed and specific information about illegal immigration to contact us.

“Using illegal labour is not victimless. It cheats the taxpayer, undercuts honest businesses and means legitimate job seekers are denied employment opportunities. It also exploits some of society’s most vulnerable people.

“Employers who do not carry out the simple checks to ensure their staff have the right to work in the UK will face the consequences.”