The Home Office says it has fined a beauty salon £15,000 after immigration officials found a woman had been working there illegally.

However, the boss of Safia’s Beauty Bar in New Road, Gravesend, says he has not heard from the government department.

Immigration enforcement officers executed a warrant on December 6 after receiving a tip-off.

An Indian woman who had overstayed her visa was found working there illegally.

The Home Office says she must now report regularly to officials while her case is dealt with and the salon was served a civil penalty of £15,000.

But Safia’s Beauty Bar’s operations director David Smith has denied the company had been fined and had no knowledge of an ongoing case relating to them.

“They were here,” he said. “They spoke to everyone within the team here and we cooperated with them and they left about an hour afterwards.

“They investigated one case of a self-employed member. There’s been no fine of any sort.

“No one here has been told to visit the Home Office for any form of checks.

“There was an individual who was self employed that they questioned. They were looking for another individual that doesn’t work here.”

However, the Home Office is adamant the salon is facing the fine and the matter is being pursued through its civil procedures department.

“There was an individual who was self employed that they questioned. They were looking for another individual that doesn’t work here.”

Safia’s Beauty Bar had previously been named as a finalist in the Gravesham Business Awards 2018.

Although the business had grown to offer 15 different outlets from Gravesend to Birmingham, owner Safia Khalid said at the time how the business was based in the town.

“Our business is very much a community business for local people,” she said in 2018.

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