Swiss police arrest six FIFA executives including vice president over £65m bribes allegations,

Six high-ranking FIFA executives including the vice-president were arrested this morning during a dramatic dawn raid at a five-star hotel in Switzerland over allegations of widespread corruption involving bribes of more than £60m over the past 25 years. 

More than a dozen plain-clothed Swiss police officers arrived unannounced at the Baur au Lac hotel in Zurich at around 6am before storming the rooms where senior officials from the world football’s governing body were staying.

Members from the executive committee were then led away by police through the side exit of the hotel, with many using bedsheets to shield themselves from the public eye.

Among those believed to be arrested are vice president of the executive committee Jeffrey Webb, Eugenio Figueredo, who is also an executive committee vice president and Jack Warner, a former member of the executive committee.

Sepp Blatter, the controversial president of the organisation, is not believed to be among those arrested.

The arrests, which came ahead of the FIFA Congress on Friday, involved members of FIFA’s executive committee, which holds significant power and does most of its business largely in secret.

Reports say the suspects could now be extradited to the U.S. following the extraordinary top-secret operation.

The New York Times reported that officers arrived at the plush hotel this morning, before going to went to the registration desk where they obtained keys to rooms in the hotel.

do not forget to comment, like and share.

They then headed upstairs where the arrests were made. Eye-witnesses reported that hotel staff were using sheets to hide the suspects, while others were led out of the side door, rather than the main entrance.

According to three anonymous police officials quoted in the New York Times, the allegations include wire fraud, racketeering and money laundering.

The arrests took place as officials gathered in Zurich to elect a new president at the FIFA Congress.

Sepp Blatter, the incumbent president, is seeking his fifth term of his election but faces a challenge from Jordan’s Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein in a presidential election on Friday.