A Willenhall pizza takeaway that was fined £45,000 by the Home Office for employing illegal workers is to have its licence reviewed by Walsall Council this week.
Immigration Raid Uncovers Violations
Immigration officers discovered two illegal workers during a visit to Pizza Pan on Walsall Road in August 2025. The two female employees, both from India, were arrested, and a penalty of £45,000 was issued to the business owner, Naseem Mohammed.
One of the workers had entered the UK on a student visa that was originally valid until October 2026. However, after her sponsorship was withdrawn, the visa lapsed in March 2025. The second worker, a relative of the owner by marriage, claimed she worked eight hours a week at the takeaway in exchange for occasional food deliveries. She had entered the UK on a student visa valid from September 2020 to February 2022, and her subsequent protection claims were rejected in February and August 2024.
Home Office Demands Licence Revocation
The Home Office stated that carrying out right-to-work checks is a simple process and has called on Walsall Council to revoke the premises licence. It argued that merely addressing the current situation would not serve as a sufficient deterrent to the licence holder or others from engaging in similar criminal activity.
West Midlands Police also expressed significant concerns about the operation of the venue and supported the call for licence revocation. Licensing officer Elizabeth Cope said: “The employment of illegal workers is considered a serious crime, often linked to exploitation, modern slavery, money laundering, tax evasion and organised crime groups. The employment of illegal workers at Pizza Pan clearly shows a total disregard for the law and clearly undermines the Crime & Disorder objective of the Licensing Act 2003.”
Licence Surrender Attempt
Last month, the licence holder, Kamran Gulzar, submitted a notice to Walsall Council to voluntarily surrender the premises licence. The licensing sub-committee will make a final decision at a meeting scheduled for Friday, June 12.
