The Rev Brian Shipsides, 54, and the Rev Elwon John, 43, were held as UK Border Agency officials and police swooped on their homes in Forest Gate, east London.
Investigators also began searching their churches, All Saints and St Edmunds, for evidence

 The move followed the arrest of three people suspected of arranging a sham marriage at All Saints on Saturday.

A 27-year-old Nigerian man was held as he prepared to marry a 23-year-old Dutch woman. A 30-year-old Nigerian woman was also arrested.

Detective Inspector Karl Amos, of the London Immigration Crime Team, said suspicions about the churches were raised some time ago.

He said: 'Today's arrests were part of an ongoing investigation into suspected sham marriages at a church in Forest Gate.

'We have also carried out searches at a number of addresses, and will now seek to examine closely the evidence that we have recovered.

'Our policy is clear - if we uncover evidence that a wedding may not be genuine we will investigate, and if appropriate, take action against those involved.'

The arrests were the latest sign of a nationwide crackdown on people who conspire to remain in Britain illegally.

Immigration Minister Damian Green has said the Government is determined to show the country is not a soft touch for those with no right to remain.

In London, a specialist team of around 100 police officers and UK Border Agency staff are investigating immigration crime.

Last week the Rev Alex Brown, of in St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex, was found guilty of a four-year 'massive and cynical scam' conducting sham marriages.

A court heard he conducted a total of 383 marriages at the Church of St Peter and St Paul between July 2005 and July 2009.

Hard-up Eastern Europeans were paid up to £3,000 to marry Africans as the number of weddings taking place at the church soared.

All Saints and St Edmunds operate together in Forest Gate. Mr Shipsides is the priest in charge and Mr John is associate minister for both churches.

Mr Shipsides was arrested at his home, the vicarage in Claremont Road, on suspicion of conspiracy to breach immigration law and attempting to pervert justice.

He appears in the Guinness Book of World Records for officiating at the wedding of the world's tallest married couple in 2001.

Mr John was arrested at his home in Kennedy Road, Barking, on suspicion of conspiracy to breach immigration law.

The 27-year-old Nigerian man has been charged with perjury, attempting to gain leave to remain by deception and identity card offences.

The 30-year-old Nigerian woman was charged with conspiracy to facilitate breaches of immigration laws.

They will appear in custody at Inner London Crown Court on October 4.

The 23-year-old Dutch woman has admitted facilitation offences. She was handed a two-month suspended sentence and banned from re-entering Britain for a year.

By Daily Mail