The Scorpions, the Justice Department's elite crime fighting unit, on Thursday arrested 17 Eastern Cape government officials in connection with corruption charges in an ongoing operation, spokesperson Sipho Ngwema said.

Ngwema said raids were in progress in Umtata and Port Elizabeth.

He added that the present operation brought the number of arrests made in connection with corruption and theft in the province to 72.

The swoop by a joint task team of Scorpions and police began in December.

With acknowledgements to Sapa and iafrica.co.za.