About 500 police officers raided the headquarters of the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light (AROPL) in Crewe, Cheshire, on Wednesday morning, following an investigation into allegations of serious sexual offences, modern slavery and forced marriage. Nine people were arrested and are being held in custody.
The arrests came after Cheshire Police received a complaint in March from a woman, now based in the Republic of Ireland, who alleged she was raped and sexually abused at the sect's headquarters in 2023 while a member. Six men and three women were arrested on suspicion of human trafficking, sexual assault, rape, forced marriage and modern slavery. The suspects are of American, Mexican, Spanish, Egyptian, Italian and Swedish nationality. A further 13 people were arrested on suspicion of public order offences unrelated to the main investigation.
Chief Superintendent Gareth Wrigley emphasised that the investigation targets individual suspects, not the religion itself. '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,' he said. The force is working with local partners to safeguard about 56 children living at the headquarters.
AROPL, which moved to the UK from Sweden in 2021, blends Shia Islam with conspiracy theories. The group has charity status and about 150 followers live together in a grade II-listed former orphanage in Crewe. Former members have described a tightly controlled environment, which the sect's lawyers deny. The group has faced previous investigations in Sweden, where 69 members had residency permits revoked, and is currently under Home Office scrutiny over skilled worker visa use.
