A POKER game in which the players bet €3 million (£2 million) allegedly brought together the brains behind a massive civic corruption scandal on the Costa del Sol.

The five players at the table in a secluded Spanish hunting lodge in 2004 included the former head of urban planning at Marbella council and three leading businessmen who were allegedly implicated in a €2.4 billion fraud.

The revelations emerged yesterday after police arrested 30 people, including 13 former councillors and property developers, in raids in Andalusia.

It was the second phase of an anti-corruption crackdown that started in March. Raids were carried out in several Spanish cities, targeting people linked to Marbella council. A multimillion-euro property scandal is being investigated. Police say that they are investigating a number of crimes, including bribery, cronyism and embezzlement.

The operation started when Marisol Yagüe, the Mayor of Marbella, Juan Antonio Roca, the town planning director, and the local chief of police were arrested and property was seized. Police raided the city hall and other offices and seized property valued at €2.4 billion. It included farms, cash, paintings by Joan Miró, a helicopter and thorough-bred horses.

The daily El Mundo reported yesterday that Señor Roca and three other businessmen were players in the poker game. It said that some of the players were unhappy with the result of the game and passed information to police officers.