Crewe religious group raided by police investigating allegations of serious sexual offences

Police have raided the headquarters of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light following an investigation into allegations of serious sexual offences, modern slavery and forced marriage.About 500 officers drawn from across the north-west of England were on the ground on Wednesday morning. Police confirmed nine people had been arrested in relation to the investigation and were being held in custody.The officers had warrants to enter the group’s headquarters, which is based at a former orphanage, as well as other properties in Crewe, Cheshire.The arrests come after Cheshire police were alerted in March about a woman, now based in the Republic of Ireland, who had made a complaint of being raped and sexually abused at AROPL’s headquarters. The force said the alleged offences took place in 2023 and involved the woman, who was a member of the group at the time.Police officers at the AROPL’s headquarters. Photograph: Cheshire constabularyPolice said six men and three women were arrested on a range of suspicions including human trafficking, sexual assault, rape, forced marriage and modern day slavery offences. The suspects are American, Mexican, Spanish, Egyptian, Italian and Swedish.A further 13 people have been arrested on suspicion of public order offences that do not relate to the investigation.After the arrests, police conducted a search of the premises. The road next to the sect’s headquarters was closed off on Wednesday morning as a convoy of police vehicles entered the gated property.Ch Supt Gareth Wrigley said the police investigation was focused on individual suspects: “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.”Wrigley added: “We treat all reports of sexual assault seriously and are committed to doing all we can to achieve justice.”AROPL is a religious sect that moved its headquarters to Crewe, in Cheshire, in 2021. It blends tenets of Islam with conspiracy theories about the Illuminati and aliens controlling US presidents. Followers wear black beanie hats and believe the sect’s leader can cure the sick and make the moon disappear.AROPL says it is a peaceful, open and transparent religious movement derived from Shia Islam that has faced persecution around the world owing to its belief in equality and human rights. The group has charity status in the UK.Officers being briefed on the operation. Photograph: Cheshire constabularyAbout 150 people live together in the sprawling, grade II-listed building in Crewe. Other followers live elsewhere in the town and around the world. Followers proselytise through slick social media videos, produced onsite at Crewe. The group’s videos on YouTube have had more than 31m views.About 56 children are understood to be living at the group’s headquarters, where they are home-schooled. Wrigley said the force was working with local partners to put safeguarding measures in place.In the past, Cheshire East council’s social services twice made inquiries relating to the group or the children. There is no evidence action was deemed necessary.The Guardian has previously spoken to former members. Some described living in a tightly controlled group and said they had felt pressured to sever ties with people outside the sect. AROPL’s lawyers denied that members were encouraged to ostracise relatives or were tightly controlled.AROPL moved its headquarters to the UK in 2021 from Sweden. Before that, the group had been in Egypt and Germany.In Sweden the sect was investigated by immigration forces and 69 members had their residency permits revoked.In a series of rulings in 2022 an immigration court ordered the deportation of dozens of the group’s members, although most had moved to the UK by the time the judgments were handed down.AROPL decried the investigations in Sweden as racist and religious persecution.The Guardian has previously reported that the group was being investigated in the UK by the Home Office over its use of skilled worker visas.The Home Office’s investigation focuses on visas issued to AROPL Studios, a company set up in 2021 to produce social media and YouTube videos about the sect’s teachings.AROPL denied using illegal immigration practices. Through lawyers, it said the immigration status of all its members and workers was lawful.When asked about the recent arrests, AROPL’s lawyers told the Guardian: “Our client has no comment other than to say that any wrongdoing is vehemently denied.”