MONTREAL - Former Montreal-area politicians and construction officials face a long list of corruption charges after arrests by Quebec police.
Police allege that some city officials offered inside information to help construction companies win public contracts.
In exchange, the municipal officials were allegedly showered with bribes -- including cash, illegal political contributions, gifts and paid vacations.
The latest arrests mean the provincial police's so-called Operation Hammer has now nabbed more than a dozen people.
Premier Jean Charest set up the unit after allegations surfaced of corruption involving the construction industry, politically connected businessmen and the Mafia.
The former mayor of Boisbriand, a suburb north of Montreal; an ex-city councillor; a construction boss, and four other construction industry officials were released on a promise to appear.
The seven face a total of 28 charges including fraud, breach of trust, corruption, extortion, conspiracy and uttering threats.
The accused are: former mayor Sylvie Saint-Jean; former alderman Claude Briere; Giuseppe and Lino Zambito, who are president and vice-president of the Infrabec construction company; Rosaire Fontaine, an engineer at BPR-Triax; and France Michaud and Gaetan Morin of the Roche consulting firm.
