POLICE and Home Office immigration officials have swooped on three well-known restaurants and takeaways in Worcester, suspecting immigration offences.

Four men were arrested at three locations - two at Shakeey's restaurant in Angel Street and one each at Anaz Indian Takeaway and Pasha Indian Cuisine restaurant, both in St John's.

When the Worcester News contacted Shakeey Latif, owner of Shakeey's, he said: "Although I own the restaurant, I leased it out to Mohammed Akhtar Hossain in June 2005 for two years.

"I don't have any say in the running of the employment of staff at Shakeey's."

Mr Hossain, who confirmed that he holds the tenancy to Shakeey's, said he did not know why the men had been arrested.

He said: "We haven't heard anything from the police. At the moment we are talking to our solicitors so we can't really comment at the moment."

Former Worcester councillor Nurul Haque, who runs both Pasha and Anaz, confirmed the arrests were related to the men's right to work in this country.

He said: "The matter is being dealt with by the solicitor. It might not be wise

to comment at this time."

The arrests happened on Wednesday, December 7, between 6.20pm and 7.39pm. All four of the arrested men remain in custody.

A police spokesman said: "Local police accompanied immigration officials in visiting a number of restaurants in the city as part of the Home Office policy to reduce the number of failed asylum seekers in the country.

"Enquiries are continuing into immigration and other offences."