The European Union is engulfed in a serious corruption scandal. Several serving MEPs, ex-MEPs and their assistants stand accused of receiving cash from Qatar in exchange for promoting the interests of the gulf state in Brussels.

Among those detained by the Belgian police is the now former European Parliament vice-president, Eva Kaili. According to the Belgian federal police, she is alleged to have committed ‘offences of criminal organisation, corruption and money laundering’.

The Belgian daily, L’Echo, reports that police removed ‘several bags full of notes’ during a search of Kaili’s Brussels home. Her father was also reportedly arrested on a train with a suitcase stuffed with cash. The police claim to have found €600,000 in cash in total during their swoop on Kaili. One seasoned observer has called it the ‘most egregious’ corruption scandal to hit Brussels in years.