BRUSSELS (Reuters) -Belgian prosecutors said on Thursday they had detained several individuals over suspected bribery in the European Parliament allegedly for the benefit of China's Huawei. Belgian investigators carried out searches of 21 premises across Belgium and in Portugal on Thursday morning.

Chinese tech giant’s offices raided and Parliament offices sealed in case that echoes the 2022 Qatargate investigation.

Huawei is at the center of a fresh scandal in Europe, following allegations that lobbyists bribed members of the European Parliament.

Belgian federal prosecutors on Thursday announced the arrests of several people in a corruption probe linked to the European Parliament and the Chinese company Huawei, which is suspected of bribing EU lawmakers.

Belgian authorities sealed two offices in the Parliament on Thursday as part of a broader bribery probe into Chinese technology giant Huawei’s lobbying activities in Europe. The operation prompted flashbacks to the 2022 Qatargate scandal, when the Gulf state was accused of having sought to influence parliamentarians through bribes and gifts.

Prosecutors said suspects were arrested for questioning in 'connection with their alleged involvement in active corruption within the European Parliament'

The supposed perpetrators made payments and gave gifts, including invitations to soccer matches, in exchange for favorable political decisions, authorities said.

The European Parliament has banned Huawei lobbyists from entering its buildings, a spokesperson for the parliament said on Friday, as authorities probe suspected bribery that could have helped the Chinese tech giant.

Huawei is suspected by Belgian prosecutors of bribing EU lawmakers. The European Parliament said on Friday that the decision to suspend the access of Huawei lobbyists has been taken as a precautionary measure,