A CWMBRAN restaurant boss who broke UK immigration laws by employing illegal workers has been disqualified as a director.

Oxford resident Eric Chung Man Ho, 35, employed two workers illegally at his Chinese restaurant, the Oriental Gardens II, in Cwmbran.

Oriental Gardens II, based on Station Road, Pontnewydd, was incorporated in October 2011 and he was the sole director of the company.

He has now been banned from managing or controlling a company for six years, with the disqualification starting on July 15, following collaboration between the Insolvency Service and Home Office Immigration Enforcement..

Business Minister, MP Jo Swinson, said: “People who employ illegal workers are not only breaking the law, they are also damaging their local economy. From stopping people from getting honest jobs to undermining businesses in their communities, the costs are huge.”

She added that “disqualifications give a strong warning that the Government is determined to stamp out these illegal practices and will take tough action against anyone flouting the law.”

The restaurant was visited by Home Office Immigration Enforcement in 2012 when the illegal workers were discovered.

Commenting on the disqualification, Richard Mulligan, Deputy Head of Company Investigations at the Insolvency Service, explained that directors who employ illegal workers seek "an unfair advantage over their competitors by employing individuals who did not have the right to work in the UK in breach of their duties as directors.”

A Home Office spokesman added: “Illegal working is not victimless. It undercuts honest employers, cheats legitimate job seekers out of employment opportunities and defrauds the taxpayer.

“Businesses should be aware that they have a duty to check that their staff have permission to work in the UK. We are happy to work with employers who play by the rules but those who do not should know that they will not go under our radar.”