The Malta police have denied claims that they failed to help their Spanish counterparts with investigations into claims that a tuna farm operator may have used bribes to increase its quota.

In a statement on Friday, the police said its Economic Crimes Squad cooperated fully with the Spanish authorities and handed over all required information, via the Europol channels.

It also clarified that the Economic Crimes Squad started to carry out investigations in October as soon as the Malta police became aware of these allegations. It also initiated a magisterial inquiry soon afterwards to collect all the evidence.

“Contact with the Spanish authorities was made immediately, even with the assistance of Europol, both by the Malta police and by the inquiring magistrate. And the investigation team also travelled to Madrid to meet with the Spanish,” it said.

Read: Malta police go to Europol to discuss tuna racket probe

Phone intercepts between the head of the fisheries department and a Spanish tuna rancher linked to a multimillion-euro racket led to the Fisheries Department director, Andreina Fenech Farrugia, being suspended suspended on full pay on Tuesday.

She denies claims that she had demanded money off a Spanish tuna kingpin.

The police added that no further details could be given about the investigations since a magisterial inquiry was underway.