Spain arrests 14 suspected of fraud at high speed rail project

MADRID: Spanish investigators arrested 14 people in raids over suspected fraud relating to construction work linked to a high-speed rail connection between Madrid and Barcelona, the anti-corruption prosecutor's office said on Tuesday.

The head of state-run high speed rail administration company ADIF Alta Velocidad filed a complaint listing three building sites around the Barcelona station La Sagrera alleging that overcharging worth 82 million euros ($91 million) had taken place, the office said in a statement.

The 621-kilometre high speed train line cost around 9 billion euros.

Prosecutors said they believed officials and employees of private contractors were involved in the suspected fraud.

A total of 15 premises comprising business locations and homes were searched in Tuesday's raids, the statement added.

It did not name any of the companies involved. ($1 = 0.9007 euros)