Southampton car wash fined £45k for illegal workers

A car wash in Southampton and a takeaway in the New Forest town have both been listed in the Government's quarterly round-up of companies who have had penalties issued.

Excellent Hand Car Wash on Wilton Avenue and Charcoal Grill Kebab on Station Road were both slapped with the five figure fine for using staff not legally permitted to work in the UK.

Both businesses failed to respond to the Echo's request for comment.

READ MORE: Police seize e-bikes and crack down on immigration crime

Offenders can be sent to jail for five years or handed an unlimited fine if they are found guilty of employing someone who they knew or had ‘reasonable cause to believe’ did not have the right to work in the UK.

Charcoal Grill Kebab on Station Road in New Milton. (Image: Google Maps) This includes, for example, if they had any reason to believe a person did not have permission to enter or remain in the UK, had incorrect or false papers or were not allowed to do certain types of work.

Additionally, penalties can be handed out if a business employs someone who does not have the right to work and did not complete the correct checks.

This data, provided by the Home Office, relates to the period between July 1 and September 30, 2024, and was released on February 28.

Excellent Hand Car Wash on Wilton Avenue in Southampton. (Image: Google Maps) Some businesses nationally were fined over £100,000 in civil penalties.

READ MORE: Police detect immigration offences in delivery driver stops

This is not the only action taken to stop illegal workers in Southampton, as immigration officers descended on Shirley last week to crack down on modern day slavery.

Eight delivery drivers were stopped, with three separate immigration offences identified.

A spokesperson for Hampshire police said: “The purpose was to target those who are vulnerable and victims of modern day slavery, focusing on identifying and protecting people by removing them to a place of safety.

“Approximately eight delivery riders were stopped this evening in the Shirley area. Three separate immigration offences were identified and are now subject to investigation.”