Authorities found the illegal workers inside the businesses, including one in Oxford, another in Bicester and a further just outside of Banbury.
In the city, Sunni Builders Ltd – which trades as Sunny Builders – was fined £40,000 by Immigration Enforcement for employing an illegal worker.
Sunny Builders is a constructor of domestic buildings registered in Cornwallis Road, off the Iffley Road.
123 Cornwallis Road, Oxford, the registered address for Sunny Builders (Image: Matt Simpson)
The business, which remains an actively registered business, is run by 44-year-old Gurpreet Singh.
Records show three people were employed at the construction firm in 2025.
From public documents, the business appears to be small-scale, with long-term assets such as equipment totalling just £15,163.
On the face of balance sheets, the company shows £8,993 of debt due within one year at October 2025, down from £75,221 a year earlier.
Shakil’s Indian restaurant in Sheep Street, Bicester (Image: Matt Simpson)
Meanwhile, over in Bicester, Immigration Enforcement fined Indian restaurant Shakil’s for employing an illegal worker.
Shakil Ali Limited was ordered to pay £40,000 by the agency, records show.
Kabir Ahmed, 47, is the sole director of the Sheep Street restaurant, although its website says it is family run.
Shakil’s won Best Asian Restaurant of the Year in Central England at the Asian and Curry Awards 2020.
“Our high quality food includes specialties such as Balti, tandoori and vegetarian dishes,” the business’s website says.
One worker at the curry house previously told this newspaper that they “always try to be a part of the community” having delivered meals to NHS workers at Bicester Community Hospital.
Adderbury Stores in Adderbury high street (Image: Matt Simpson)
Immigration Enforcement also said the convenience shop Adderbury Stores, in the village just outside of Banbury, was also fined £40,000 for employing an illegal worker.
However, there is an active proposal to strike off Adderbury Store Ltd, according to Companies House.
Pardeep Bansal, 56, is the sole director responsible for Adderbury Store Ltd, in Adderbury’s High Street.
READ MORE ON ADDERBURY STORES’ RESPONSE: Shop boss fined £40k for illegal worker says ‘not my fault’
Mrs Bansal told this newspaper that it was “not her fault” the worker was illegal, adding that she had “all the proof” to suggest she has done nothing wrong.
The latest accounts say two people were employed at the shop at the end of 2025, with creditors being owed around £123,000.
Shakil’s and Sunny Builders were both approached for a comment, however, a response was not given before publication.
The government regularly publishes a list businesses that have been fined for employing illegal workers.
The Home Office recently reported that more than 17,000 arrests had been made since July 2024.
This was up 122 per cent on the previous two years, with a record number of immigration raids and arrests in the last six months.
Home secretary Shabana Mahmood said: “This surge in enforcement activity takes us to the highest level in British history. Illegal workers and rogue employers have nowhere to hide.”
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