Thu 26 Sep 2013 - Manchester, UK: Seventeen people have been arrested as part of investigations into charities based in Manchester and West Yorkshire.
The investigations focused on the sponsoring of Indian nationals to come to the UK to work as religious workers or ministers, under the Tier 2 and Tier 5 migrant workers system.
The first investigation focused on the Khalsa Missionary Society in Cheetham Road, Manchester.
Ten people were arrested including two British men aged 40 and 50 and a 39-year-old British woman, in Manchester.
Seven other people were arrested at various locations as part of the operation.
All seventeen were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to facilitate the commission of a breach of UK immigration law by a non EU national, contrary to section 25 of the Immigration Act 1971.