Stunned diners enjoying their Chinese meals watched as immigration officials hauled two people from the restaurant’s kitchen.

The raid by the UK Border Agency and Sussex Police on the Jade Chinese Restaurant, in Western Road, Hove, followed a similar raid earlier on Thursday evening at Thai restaurant Aumthong, on the same road.

A spokesman for the UK Border Agency confirmed that three people were arrested in the raids on suspicion of being illegal immigrants. The owners of the restaurants face a potential £10,000 fine for each illegal worker found.

Roger Aram, the manager of Aumthong, said he had not checked the paperwork of a man held by as he was only on trial.

It was the arrested man's second day at the restaurant.

He said: “The fine would be quite harsh and is a lot of money. I hope we don't get fined that much. We hadn't hired him, he just came here to have a trial shift. He hadn’t been paid anything.

“If I had the chance again I would check the paperwork now.

“The police came straight in. I'm still in shock.”

A UK Border Agency official at the scene said the arrested man, a 28-year-old from Brazil, was thought to be in the country on a six-month visitor’s permit which did not allow him to work.

A spokesman for the Home Office said the two 24-year-old women were arrested for being illegal immigrants and that steps were being taken to deport them.

It is understood that this week immigration officials took part in six raids, although the only arrests made were on Thursday.

The Argus left a message at the Jade restaurant but did not receive any reply.

Last month the China China restaurant in Brighton's Preston Street was raided for the second time in five months.

Eleven suspected illegal workers were arrested in that raid, with the owner facing a £110,000 fine.

In October last year 12 suspected illegal immigrant workers were arrested. Eleven were found to be illegal and the restaurant’s owner was fined £5,000 per illegal worker.