EIGHT illegal workers have been arrested in swoops on three Chinese restaurants in Canterbury.

Immigration officers and police from the Operational Support Unit carried out simultaneous visits on the city premises. Seven Chinese nationals and one Malaysian national were arrested.

Six were failed asylum seekers, one was an illegal entrant, and one had outstayed their visa.

A Home Office spokesman said as it was part of an immigration operation they could not reveal which restaurants were involved. The cases of all those arrested are now being dealt with.