Woman arrested over allegations of voicemail hacking

A WOMAN has been arrested by police investigating allegations of voicemail hacking.

Scotland Yard said the 42-year-old suspect was detained on suspicion of money-laundering offences.

She was held after attending a south west London police station by appointment at around 11am.

The woman was being questioned by detectives from Operation Weeting, Scotland Yard’s phone-hacking investigation.

Police launched Operation Weeting, the inquiry devoted specifically to phone hacking, after receiving “significant new information” from News International on January 26 last year.

Operation Elveden was launched months later after officers were given documents suggesting News International journalists made illegal payments to police officers.

Officers also launched three related operations: the Sasha inquiry into allegations of perverting the course of justice; Kilo, an inquiry into police leaks; and Tuleta, the investigation into computer-related offences, as the inquiry escalated.

According to Metropolitan Police figures, there were 829 potential victims of phone hacking, of whom 231 were said to be uncontactable.

The scandal resulted in the demise of the News of the World which closed after 168 years.