(Image: Home Office)
Three men were arrested after immigration enforcement officers carried out raids at businesses in Bradford.
Reports emerged on social media of officers carrying out operations on Leeds Road and Manchester Road on Friday, October 9.
The Home Office has now confirmed enforcement action took place at two businesses in the city.
What happened?
Immigration Enforcement officers visited Thornbury Hand Car Wash where three men were arrested.
Those detained were a Polish man, an Iranian man and an Egyptian man, the Home Office said.
The business was served with a Notice of Potential Liability, with further enquiries now under way to determine whether any offences were committed by the employer.
If it is found that illegal workers were employed and the required pre-employment checks were not carried out, the employer could face a substantial financial penalty.
The Home Office's Civil Penalty Compliance Team will now review the evidence before deciding whether to issue a Civil Penalty Notice.
Officers also visited 7 Day Local on Leeds Road during the operation, although no arrests were made there.
Home Office statement
Employers can face fines of up to £45,000 per illegal worker for a first breach, rising to £60,000 per worker for repeat offences.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “Illegal working undermines honest employers, undercuts local wages, and fuels organised immigration crime. We will not stand for it.
“Since the general election, we have increased Immigration Enforcement action to the highest level in British history.
"This has delivered a 122% rise in illegal working arrests and a 111% rise in raids.”