FOUR people were arrested early today as part of a police investigation into a multi-million pound cash-for-marriages scam.

The two men and two women were detained after detectives raided six premises in Blackburn and Penwortham, near Preston.

Two solicitors offices in Blackburn town centre were searched as part of the operation.

Material connected with the inquiry was recovered and has been taken for further investigation by detectives.

A police van and two uniformed officers were stationed outside one of the Parker and Pickles solicitors offices in Richmond Terrace, Blackburn, today and both offices were closed.

A woman at one of the offices refused to comment and locked the front door at 9.15am.

Police also searched a house which has been the home of Asian community leader Ismail Pirbhai in Dartford Close, Blackburn. The raids were part of Operation Capital, which has been running for some months investigating what police described as an alleged scam, which is said to involve many millions of pounds.

Inspector Steve Ashley, who led the operation, said: "Operation Capital has taken a number of months of planning and at this early stage it appears to have been a success."

The two men and two women are in custody at police stations in the division and were due to be questioned later today.