WORKERS at Bluewater shopping centre are among 47 people arrested in a major immigration investigation across the UK.

Officers carried out searches at the site and made the arrests shortly after 6pm last night.

The operation was headed by Merseyside Police and also involved the Department for Work and Pensions and the UK Immigration Service.

Searches took place in Liverpool, Manchester, Ellesmere Port, Sheffield and here in Kent. Ten of the 14 premises targeted were restaurants.

Those arrested are now being questioned under the Immigration Act.