Two police officers who were among four men arrested last week in connection with a licensing corruption investigation in Westminster have been bailed until September.

A police sergeant and a police constable, who were both based in the Metropolitan Police Licensing Unit at Westminster, were arrested last Wednesday along with a 48-year-old man at his home in Hampstead and a second at his home in Slough on suspicion of conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office.

Detectives from the Metropolitan Police’s Directorate of Professional Standards Anti-Corruption Command made the arrests as part of an investigation into allegations of corruption by Westminster Licensing Officers and inappropriate relationships between the police officers and people running local businesses.

Detective Chief Inspector Tom Whorwood of the DPS Anti-Corruption Command, said: “At this stage it would be inappropriate to comment further on the specific intelligence that we have investigated.

“However, the Met expects all officers and staff to maintain the highest possible ethical standards. Part of our work includes investigating those people who seek to corrupt or have a corrupt relationship with our staff.”

As part of the operation nine search warrants were being executed at a number of residential, business and police premises.

All four suspects have been bailed pending further enquiries to a date in late September.