Seven people at two car washes in Congleton have been arrested as part of an ongoing operation to tackle organised immigration crime.
Officers from the Eastern Area Investigation Team took part in Operation Machinize in partnership with Immigration Officers and HMRC.
They visited two car washes in Congleton, which led to the arrest of three men on suspicion of modern slavery offences. They have since been released on bail.
In addition, four other men were also arrested by the police and a number of items were seized, including a car, several mobile phones and a quantity of cash.
Following the visits, the owners of the car washes could face significant fines of up to £45,000 per illegal worker.
Detective constable Dominic Rogers, of the Eastern area Protecting Vulnerable People Unit, says: “We work hard to tackle criminals operating in our communities and today’s operation demonstrates just some of the work that we do day in, day out.
“While the vast majority of businesses in Congleton are operating legitimately, there are some who exploit the most vulnerable people in order to make financial gains.
“Those involved in such activities often have links to drug trafficking and distribution, organised immigration crime, modern slavery and human trafficking, which is why we are committed to doing all we can to identify those involved.
“I hope that the results from this operation will provide some reassurance to our communities and also act as a warning to those who are considering taking part in this type of activity.”
