Immigration officers are today searching for an escaped suspected illegal immigrant after a raid on a Maidstone restaurant last night.

Two Bangladeshi men were arrested at Buddha Belly restaurant, Week Street, on suspicion of being in the country illegally only for one of them to abscond while being taken into custody.

Three Home Office Immigration Enforcement vehicles were parked in the High Street at 6pm while officers attended the restaurant on the corner of Pudding Lane.

While there they carried out checks on a number of staff.

Kent Police is helping the Home Office with its search.

The restaurant – which offers food from Europe to Far East Asia – serves, Indian, Thai, Mexican, Chinese and Italian cuisine from an open kitchen and also has a nightclub downstairs.

The venue refused to comment when approached by the Kent Messenger today.