Brierley Hill Store Banned from Selling Alcohol for Month after Employing Illegal Immigrants

A recent raid on Silver End Convenience Store in Brierley Hill has resulted in the store being banned from selling alcohol for a month. Immigration officials found two people working at the store who had been employed despite having outstayed their visas. One of the individuals had been in the UK since 2009 without the right to work, while the other had arrived in 2020 but saw their visa expire in 2021. The store's licence holder, Mrs Nandakumare Kasinthan, appeared before Dudley Council's licensing sub-committee, where she apologized for the mistake and agreed to take the consequences. The hearing also revealed that the store had been served a £90,000 fine for employing the two illegal workers, which was still outstanding in April 2025.

Key Takeaways:

• Silver End Convenience Store was raided by immigration officials and found to be employing two people who had outstayed their visas.
• One of the individuals had been in the UK since 2009 without the right to work, while the other had arrived in 2020 but saw their visa expire in 2021.
• The store's licence holder, Mrs Nandakumare Kasinthan, apologized for the mistake and agreed to take the consequences.
• The store had been served a £90,000 fine for employing the two illegal workers, which was still outstanding in April 2025.
• The store has six long-term members of staff who are paid monthly, while the two illegal workers were employed only very recently before being caught.
• Concerns were raised about low pay after one of the men detained said he was receiving £6.25 per hour, while the other man told investigators he was not getting paid but getting food and accommodation.
• Immigration Enforcement argued that the store's licence should be revoked due to not being a sufficient deterrent to shop owners from employing illegal immigrants.
• The committee imposed a one-month suspension of the licence and added conditions including that casual staff who are not correctly trained should not be left in charge of the store at any time.

Statistics:

• The store was served a £90,000 fine for employing the two illegal workers.
• The fine was still outstanding in April 2025 and had been referred to a debt collection agency.
• The two illegal workers were found to be earning £6.25 per hour and £0, receiving food and accommodation instead of pay.

Sources:

• Martyn Smith, Local Democracy Reporter
• Dudley Council
• Immigration Enforcement
• West Midlands Police