- Belgian police raided 21 places in a corruption investigation
- The probe involves Huawei’s alleged bribery since 2021
- Some Huawei lobbyists were arrested for bribing MEPs
Belgian police have conducted multiple raids as part of an investigation into corruption within the European Parliament.
Prosecutors stated that the alleged corruption involved “commercial lobbying” and that several individuals have been taken in for questioning. Authorities also searched an address in Portugal related to the case.
Belgian newspaper Le Soir reported that the investigation involves Chinese tech company Huawei and its activities in Brussels since 2021. The BBC has reached out to Huawei for comment. Prosecutors explained that the corruption allegedly took place secretly from 2021 to the present, disguised as commercial lobbying, including bribes for political positions, lavish gifts like food, travel, and football match invitations.
Le Soir further reported that several suspected Huawei lobbyists were arrested for allegedly bribing current or former Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) to promote Huawei’s trade policies. A police source told AFP that no MEPs were among those arrested on Thursday.
A total of 21 raids were carried out in Brussels, Flanders, and Wallonia. The investigation is focused on “active corruption within the European Parliament,” as well as “forgery and use of forged documents,” all connected to a “criminal organization.” Authorities are also looking into possible money laundering.
