A RESTAURANT was raided by immigration officers leading to a man being arrested for entering the country illegally.

The man was detained following the operation at Max Italia, in Lee Lane Horwich on Thursday night.

Immigration Enforcement officers visited the premises at around 10pm and were acting on intelligence they had received.

When carrying out the operation officers encountered a 23-year-old Albanian man who, checks showed, had entered the UK illegally.

He was arrested and detained pending his removal from the UK.

A Home Office spokesman said: "The business was served with a notice warning that a financial penalty of up to £20,000 per illegal worker may be imposed on the employer unless evidence is provided that appropriate right to work document checks were carried out, such as seeing a passport or Home Office document."

One resident, who lives across the road, said that officers arrived on the scene shortly before 10pm and spent most of their time inside the restaurant.

He said: "There was eight officers in total. At 11.15pm one officer came out to prepare the rear of the van, checking it with a flashlight."

He added that at around 11.30pm a man was removed from the restaurant and placed in the van.

The man said the raid looked quite calm and restaurant staff were allowed outside while it took place.

The van where the man was detained left with two officers at around 11.45pm and the other van left with six officers at around midnight.

Other residents reporter a large number of officers on the scene.

The Home Office urges employers to check their employees properly as they can be penalised if they do not carry out proper checks.

If the restaurant is found to not have carried out proper checks it will be sent a civil penalty notice and then has 28 days to respond.

Max Italia did not wish to comment when contacted by The Bolton News.