Nine people have been arrested on suspicion of serious sexual offences, forced marriage and modern slavery following a major police operation targeting a religious group in Cheshire.
More than 500 officers took part in dawn raids at three addresses in Crewe linked to the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light, known as Arpol. The operation, which began at around 08:50 BST, also drew in support from Europol, with officers from Ireland and Sweden assisting their British counterparts.
Cheshire Police said it was alerted last month to allegations dating back to 2023 concerning one woman who was a member of the group at the time of the alleged offences. The force stressed that while those arrested were members of Arpol, the investigation was not into the religion itself.
“Today’s operation is the outcome of a detailed and robust investigation,” said Chief Superintendent Gareth Wrigley. “While those arrested are members of the group, I want to make clear that this is not an investigation into the religion, this is an investigation into the serious allegations which have been reported to us.”
Six men and three women were detained, ranging in age from 30 to 44 and holding American, Mexican, Italian, Spanish, Swedish and Egyptian nationalities. Among them are a 35-year-old Spanish man arrested on suspicion of rape, sexual assault, assault and forced marriage offences, and a 30-year-old Mexican man held on suspicion of human trafficking, sexual assault and forced marriage offences. Several others were arrested on suspicion of modern slavery offences and sexual assault. A further 13 people were arrested on suspicion of public order offences unrelated to the main inquiry.
According to the BBC, police vehicles and ambulances were seen at the King George V playing fields, just over a mile west of the town centre, while roads were reportedly closed in the Victoria Avenue area near Queens Park. Detectives searched three buildings, including Webb House on Nantwich Road in the south of the town, where Arpol owns a number of properties.
The group has roughly 150 members at its Crewe base. Officers said they were working alongside the local authority to safeguard residents affected by the searches. A Cheshire East Council spokesperson said: “Our priority is to ensure that those people who have been displaced are safe and supported.”
Arpol was founded at the start of the century by followers of Shia Islam and claims roots in the tradition, though mainstream Muslim groups have long distanced themselves from it. The organisation should not be confused with the Sunni-rooted Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, often known as Ahmadis, which was founded on the Asian subcontinent and has a substantial presence in the United Kingdom.
Ch Supt Wrigley sought to reassure those living nearby. “We treat all reports of sexual assault seriously and are committed to doing all we can to achieve justice,” he said, adding that the force was “working closely” with partners to support members of the group.
“I would like to reassure residents that there is no risk to the wider community, and patrols have been stepped up to provide reassurance to local residents,” he said. “I would urge anyone with any concerns to speak to an officer.” He warned of a “continued and significant policing presence in the area”, primarily for evidential searches but also to reassure the public.
Connor Naismith, the Labour MP for Crewe and Nantwich, acknowledged that the scale of the operation would be unsettling for those living nearby. He said it was “completely understandable” that locals would be “extremely anxious and concerned about what they’re seeing today”, but paid tribute to officers, describing it as “a major operation police are dealing with to the best of their ability”.
Anyone with information that could assist the investigation has been urged to contact Cheshire Police.
