Officials, others held in Poland over corruption

11/19/2013

WARSAW, Poland  — Polish investigators have detained 18 people including current and former state officials on suspicion of large-scale corruption.

The detentions are a blow to the government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk, which is seeking to improve its image.

Spokesman for the Central Anti-Corruption Bureau Jacek Dobrzynski said today that offices and private apartments were searched at 48 locations across Poland.

Among those detained are the deputy head of the state-run Main Statistical Office, a Foreign Ministry official in charge of IT systems purchases and heads of sales departments at various IT companies.

Prosecutors said the case involves corruption in the purchase of some 1.5 billion zlotys’ ($486 million) worth of IT systems for the Interior Ministry and other state offices.