Police are continuing to question 70 men arrested on suspicion of abusing the immigration system.

Their arrests followed a series of raids on homes and Indian restaurants across the UK.

Among those being held are 20 arrested at two restaurants in Rusholme, Manchester, a further 20 at a restaurant and a takeaway at the Trafford Centre and five at a restaurant in Altrincham.

In addition, search warrants were executed at a home and a business in Hale Barns, Cheshire, and homes in Rochdale and Stretford.

Further arrests were made in Merseyside, Kent and Sheffied.

The managing director of the Shere Khan restaurant chain, Steve Garrity, confirmed some of his restaurants had been searched.

A spokesman for Merseyside Police, which co-ordinated the operation, said: "A number of Shere Khan restaurants were raided shortly before 6pm on Friday night.

"The men arrested were all in their 20s and 30s."

He would not confirm if all the restaurants targeted belonged to the chain.

Detective Superintendent Steve Moore of Merseyside Police said the raids, named Operation Chalice, were "the result of a lengthy investigation into abuse of the immigration system".

"We have been working closely with colleagues in partner agencies and as a result have arrested a large number of people for offences under the Immigration Act," he said.

Four other police forces, the United Kingdom Immigration Service and the Department of Work and Pensions are involved in the operation.