THREE workers at a Huntingdon company ho had overstayed their visas were arrested by the UK Border Agency last week and one of them has already been deported. Officers visited VIP Polymers in Windover Road on Thursday. Two employees, a 33-year-old from Ma

THREE workers at a Huntingdon company who had overstayed their visas were arrested by the UK Border Agency last week and one of them has already been deported.

Officers visited VIP Polymers in Windover Road on Thursday. Two employees, a 33-year-old from Malawi and a 39-year-old from Ghana, were detained. The Ghanaian was deported on Saturday and the Malawian is due to go tomorrow (Thursday).

The third man, a 33-year-old from Nigeria, has been charged with ID offences and remanded in custody. He is due to appear at Huntingdon Crown Court on Friday.

The business will not face a civil penalty, having co-operated fully with the UK Border Agency investigation.

Chief Immigration Officer Chris Evans, from the immigration team for Cambridgeshire and Northants (East), said: "VIP Polymers did just what any employer should do when there are concerns about staff members' immigration status, they contacted us. The company deserves credit for its responsible behaviour."

A new civil penalty system was introduced in 2008 to tackle bosses who fail to carry out checks on workers from outside Europe. A fine of up to �10,000 per worker can be imposed for every illegal worker found at a business.

INFORMATION: Guidance for employers on preventing illegal working can be found on the UK Border Agency website, www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/employingmigrants or by calling the UK Border Agency Employers Helpline on 0845 010 6677.