An Edgware Road restaurant is facing a �100,000 fine after 10 illegal workers were found to be employed there.

Middle Eastern restaurant Al Shishawi was raided by the UK Border Agency at 7pm on Saturday where they checked staff to ensure they had the right to work in the country.

Ten illegal workers were arrested for a variety of immigration offences – six Egyptian men, three men from Mauritania, Libya and Kuwait and a woman from Morocco.

Nine of the 10 have been detained pending their removal from the UK while the 10th has been granted immigration bail.

The restaurant now faces a fine of up to �10,000 per illegal worker unless it can prove to the Border Agency that the correct right-to-work checks were carried out.

Sharon Flannery, UK Border Agency London area director, said: “Illegal working is a crime that not only undercuts local businesses but also has a serious impact on communities, taking jobs from those who are genuinely allowed to work.

“Where we find people who are in the UK illegally, we will seek to remove them. But we also want to send out a strong message to employers.

“It is the legal responsibility of all businesses to check their employees have the right to work in the UK.”

Al Shishawi were unavailable for comment.