Southall Supermarket Gets Reprieve Despite Employing Illegal Workers

Change of ownership meant previous offence not considered

Sira Superstore. Picture: Google Streetview

January 22, 2026

A Southall supermarket has been allowed to remain open despite employing an illegal worker without paying her. The supermarket has denied knowing she was an illegal worker and is appealing a Home Office fine.

Sira Superstore, located on King Street, was raided by immigration and council officers on May 9, 2025. During the visit, three people were arrested on suspicion of illegal working.

Following an investigation, it was found that these individuals had no right to work in the UK. One person had overstayed their visa, and two were ex-students who overstayed their visa.

One of these individuals told immigration enforcement that she had been working at the supermarket for several months, paid at a rate of £5 per hour – substantially below the minimum wage. However, rather bizarrely, the Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) – Mr Minda Sira – told the hearing that she actually hadn’t been paid at all.

He claimed she had been working a trial period, for two and a half months, undertaking a shift a week. This means she was not paid across 10 shifts. Sira Superstore was fined £40,000 for employing an illegal worker. However, one day before the hearing, it appealed the fine – which is yet to be paid.

This is not the first time Sira Superstore has been found to employ illegal workers. In March 2017, police and immigration offices found two employees who had no right to work in the UK.

Mr Sira, who was the DPS in both the 2017 incident and 2025 incident was warned about employing illegal workers. However, he insisted that despite being the DPS for both incidents, the 2017 case should not be considered.

He and his representative argued that because the “business entity” changed in 2017, as in 2020 the premises licence was transferred from Mr Sira as an individual to General Superstore Ltd – a company of which his son was one of the directors until July 2025.

The DPS is responsible for the day-to-day running of the business and is considered to be in charge. It is the responsibility of the DPS to ensure licensing conditions are being adhered to. Despite Mr Sira remaining DPS throughout the handover, councillors agreed to discount the earlier offence.

Returning the decision, Councillor Rima Baaklini said, “The subcommittee have decided that the incident from 2017 is not deemed relevant to the current matter and have regarded them as entirely separate due to the business entities, with the only connection being that the same individual held the position of designated premises supervisor on both occasions.”

Philip James Lynch - Local Democracy Reporter