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March 13 (UPI) -- Authorities in Belgium searched the Brussels offices of Chinese tech company Huawei Thursday as part of a corruption probe. The investigation also included searches at several homes belonging to lobbyists for the company, in Brussels, Flanders and Wallonia, as well as in Portugal.
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Belgian Federal Police said in a press release that those who have been "arrested for questioning" is due to "their alleged involvement in active corruption within the European Parliament, as well as for forgery and use of forged documents."
"The acts are believed to have been committed as part of a criminal organization," it added.
The lobbyists were purportedly paying bribes to members of the European Parliament, or MEPs, in order to influence their decisions regarding Huawei. The bribes allegedly included compensation "for political positions or even excessive gifts such as food and travel expenses, or even regular invitations to football matches."
Euronews reported that a spokesperson of the European Parliament said that "it always cooperates fully with the judicial authorities," upon request and that should the investigation involve current MEPs, the Belgian authorities will ask the Parliament to waive their immunity. No searches have been announced regarding the Parliament, and Belgian prosecutors have not as of yet sent any appeals to waive any immunity.
