Three people have been arrested as part of a Serious Fraud Office (SFO) investigation into alleged £3m bribes linked to a Microsoft data centre project in the Netherlands.
The SFO said the individuals were detained for questioning during dawn raids on five properties across London, Kent, Surrey and Somerset on Wednesday.
The operation targeted UK infrastructure firm Blu-3 and ex-associates of global construction group Mace.
Authorities in Monaco also searched the premises of a suspect with assistance from the SFO.
The raids form part of a wider investigation into payments allegedly made by Blu-3 to Mace associates in relation to the construction the data centre.
The SFO confirmed that more than 70 staff were deployed during the operation, which raided four homes and one commercial property.
The investigation is being supported by the National Crime Agency.
Solicitor general Lucy Rigby MP attended one of the arrests in North London.
She said: “Bribery undermines the values of fairness and playing by the rules, and hurts individuals, businesses and our wider economy.”
SFO director Nick Ephgrave said the arrests showed that the agency would act “rapidly and robustly” to tackle bribery and corruption.
Microsoft is not accused of any wrongdoing.