The National Crime Agency has made two arrests in connection with its investigation into allegations of corruption around the biggest-ever property deal in Northern Ireland.
Two men were detained on Tuesday after searches of a property in County Down. The raids were connected to the NCA inquiry into the £1.2bn of properties controlled by the National Asset Management Agency – the Irish Republic’s “bad bank” which bought over houses, offices and apartments once owned by property speculators bankrupted after the 2008 financial crash.
The NCA is carrying out investigations into the sale of the property portfolio – all of it based in Northern Ireland – to the US investment firm Cerberus.
Accusations have been made in the Irish parliament by Mick Wallace, an independent leftwing TD, that local politicians received bribes to smooth the passage of the sell off. He alleged that a fee of £7m was lodged into an Isle of Man bank account, which was controlled by a former trustee of Belfast law firm Tughans.
An NCA spokesman said: “Officers from the National Crime Agency have today carried out two arrests and related searches in the County Down area in connection with a fraud investigation.”
The Northern Ireland assembly is carrying out a separate parliamentary inquiry into the sale of the Nama northern portfolio.
The spokesman added that the NCA is being assisted by the Police Service of Northern Ireland.
