IMMIGRATION officers have raided a car wash in Swanley and arrested four Ukrainian men on suspicion of working illegally.

A notice of potential liability was served against their alleged employer Hands-On Car Wash, after the raid by the UK Border Agency at Asda in London Road.

The car wash company may now face a fine of up to £10,000 per illegal worker.

Raids were also made on six of the company’s other franchisees across Kent.

The men arrested on August 23 have been detained while officers work towards removing them from the UK.

Kent local immigration team leader Carla Johnson said: “These arrests show our commitment to targeting those who work illegally.

“It is a crime that not only undercuts local business but also has a serious impact on local communities, taking jobs from those who are genuinely allowed to work.

“We will act on any information received and if appropriate visit the place concerned and make arrests.

“No matter what line of business you are in, you are not safe.

“We will not tolerate illegal working in the Kent area.”

The UK Border Agency say that none of the supermarkets or shopping centres involved were responsible for employing the illegal workers, and the men were all employed by the franchise involved.

A spokeswoman for Hands-On Car Wash said: “We’re delighted with the arrests.

“This investigation was instigated by us to help our franchisees ensure the legality of their workers.

“Our cooperation with the UK Border Agency has always been one hundred percent.

“We have worked jointly and proactively with them to target illegal working within the car cleaning industry.

“We know that our franchisees take every precaution when checking workers’ papers and we’re confident there will be no fines.

“Forgeries have become so sophisticated that we and our franchisees need the assistance of the UKBA to help us - that’s why we called them in and will keep doing so.”