A Walsall curry house, Dera on Caldmore Road, is set to have its premises licence reviewed next week after being fined £45,000 by the Home Office for employing a worker illegally.
Immigration officers arrested two individuals after visits in November 2023 and August 2025 uncovered breaches related to immigration and employment. Following these incidents, both West Midlands Police and the Home Office have called on Walsall Council’s licensing committee to revoke the restaurant’s licence.
During the initial November 2023 inspection, an individual attempted to flee but was detained and arrested as an immigration offender. The Pakistani national, who originally came to the UK on a student visa and later held a Tier 2 health care worker visa, was found working outside the conditions of his visa by being employed at the restaurant. The licence holder, Talat Jalil, claimed the individual was not formally employed by Dera and that the Home Office accepted this at the time, issuing a No Action Notice.
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However, on a subsequent visit in August 2025, immigration enforcement found another worker employed in breach of visa conditions. This worker, also a Pakistani national, stated he helped out as a cleaner occasionally, but officers discovered £6,000 in cash at his home, suggesting sustained employment at the restaurant. Like the first individual, his visa did not permit employment in this role. In response to these findings, the Home Office issued a £45,000 fine to Dera, which remains unpaid.
The Home Office stressed that the licence holder was fully aware of his responsibilities, especially after the initial visit highlighted the need for right to work checks. They argue that the licence holder missed a crucial opportunity to prevent illegal working, which contributed to criminal activity, and have formally requested licence revocation. They also highlighted that merely addressing the current violation would not deter ongoing or future illegal activity.
Mr Jalil accepted responsibility for employing the individual found during the second inspection. He stated the man worked sporadically as a storeroom cleaner for a few hours a week and was paid in cash without being on the payroll. Jalil cited his poor health, including a heart attack and recovery period, as affecting his ability to properly manage the business and conduct necessary checks. He acknowledged that while other staff visually checked documents, it was ultimately his duty to verify work authorization.
Due to ongoing health issues, Mr Jalil has decided to relinquish ownership of Dera. He has arranged for Miss Ifrah Sabir to take over the business and initiate the licence transfer process.
The Walsall Council licensing committee is scheduled to convene on July 15 to decide whether to revoke, suspend, or modify the licence conditions for Dera, or to restrict licensable activities at the premises.