A number of professionals operating in the British banking industry have been arrested as part of a probe into suspected breaches of tax laws, it has emerged.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) revealed that several bankers are now being questioned by the police with regard to their roles in this criminal affair, including some who work for the 83 per cent state-owned Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS).
Many major banks in the UK have recently come under fire with regard to the perceived excessive level of bonuses they are offering senior officials at the moment, despite the fact the country is struggling financially.
However, in a statement about the arrests, HMRC noted: "This investigation relates to the actions of the people arrested in relation to their own financial affairs and is not connected to the business activities of the banks."
This comes after sources told Bloomberg last week that RBS had fired four members of staff due to the tax probe.
By Claire Archer
