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22 businessmen, public officials arrested for corruption in Rome

Xinhua, January 9, 2015 Adjust font size:

A total of 22 businessmen and public officials were arrested in Italy's capital Rome on Thursday for alleged corruption and bribery, local reports said.

Local finance police put under investigation a total of 28 people and were searching some 40 houses and offices throughout the city, according to ANSA news agency.

A total of 10 public technicians, including one in the local health system, were found as ready to turn a blind eye on abuses and irregularities in exchange for bribes amounting to around 1,500 euros each (1,772 U.S. dollars).

"In this case, we are not speaking about a criminal network, but about individual behaviors which have been found to be deep-rooted in Rome," a finance police officer, Gennaro Vecchione, was quoted by La Stampa newspaper as saying.

Vecchione said the arrested were detected thanks to wiretapping. The investigation was expected to further extend to illegal activities conducted at more public offices in Rome, he added.

In recent weeks, the Italian capital has been at the center of a huge corruption scandal with more than 100 people put under investigation and dozens arrested in relation to a mafia-style criminal scheme. Endit