Fmr Barcelona president arrested on suspicion of money laundering
Police raids have taken place in Barcelona as well as in the outlying northeastern cities of Lleida and Girona, sources from the investigation told EFE .
The sources consulted by EFE place Rosell and former president of Brazil's soccer federation, Ricardo Teixeira, at the head of the alleged money laundering plot.
Police in the neighboring principality of Andorra, a territory that is known for its offshore banking sector on the mountainous border between Spain and France, have also been involved in raids, police said.
Rosell was arrested as part of a joint operation by the national police and the civil guard against money laundering, sources told EFE.
The investigation began when detectives discovered that allegedly unlawful commissions were being charged for the audiovisual rights of Brazil's national soccer team, sums which were then allegedly laundered through shell companies in tax havens.
Rosell is also under official investigation over the signing of Brazil forward Neymar while he was president of Barcelona from 2010-2014.
The arrests and raids were carried out by agents of the Spain's Economic and Fiscal Crime Unit of the National Police, as well as members of the Judicial Police of Catalonia and Spain's Civil Guard police force.