Spanish Police have raided government offices in 13 provinces as part of a crackdown on corruption. <br /><br />Tuesday’s operation was mainly conducted in the Andalusia region in the south of the country, but offices in Barcelona and the Canary Islands were also involved.<br /><br />Judge Mercedes Alaya is heading the investigation which has been going on since June. Around 30 people were arrested. <br /><br />Andalusia government spokesman,Miguel Ángel Vázquez said:<br /><br />“In this case it seems that suspects are limited to the sphere of officials, public servants, but at any level those who are guilty must be punished.”<br /><br />Last month police arrested more than fifty people in similar raids in and around the capital Madrid. <br /><br />It is alleged that individuals at all levels from town halls to politicians, civil servants and businessmen have been taking kickbacks from private companies to win contracts.<br /><br />On October 27 a statement by the anti-corruption prosecutor’s office said:<br /><br />“The collusion between local councillors and civil servants, with builders and energy service companies, and the corruption of middle-men and key companies, has helped them to secure contracts worth around 250 million euros in the last two years alone.”<br /><br />Tuesdays operation is the latest linked to a string of corruption scandals that have hit Spain’s political parties, banks, football clubs and even members of the royal family.
