KNAB conducts series of high-profile raids

RIGA -- Latvia's anti-corruption bureau has conducted a series of raids, searching the offices of two of the country's "oligarchs" as well as those of airBaltic and the Freeport of Riga.

The raids come at an interesting time, with the presidential elections just a week away and the head of the bureau -- himself embroiled in a scandal over his management of the organization -- away on holiday.

Former KNAB head Aleksejs Loskutovs, currently a politician with the ruling "Unity" party, said that the raids amount to the second largest operation in the bureau's history.

According to national news agency LETA, the raids were conducted "within the framework of a criminal case on bribery, money laundering, misuse of power and other crimes."

The Wednesday raids included the offices of Ventpils Mayor Aivars Lembergs, who is currently under investigation for a slew of other major crimes, as well as prominent politician Andris Skele. Both have been dubbed two of the country's three "oligarchs".