More than a dozen people have been arrested during a series of raids by immigration officials across Yorkshire.
Teams of officers from the Border and Immigration Agency targeted Chinese restaurants in York, Sheffield and Huddersfield on Thursday night.
Six people were arrested at the Jumbo Chinese restaurant in York, officials said some tried to flee the building.
A further six, including the chef, were held at the Jumbo in Huddersfield and one at Sheffield's Jumbo Restaurant.
Chris Hudson, of the Border and Immigration Agency, said officers were cracking down on illegal workers and people who employed them.
"Getting a job in York, Huddersfield, Sheffield is not a free-for-all.
"We carry out intelligence-led operations every week to crack down on illegal working and to ensure UK immigration laws are not abused.
"If someone uses forged identity documents to get a job then they can expect to face criminal proceedings and ultimately jail."
Agency officials are investigating to find out the businesses were knowingly flouting the law, and potentially could face prosecution.
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