An unknown number of police officers, including one senior official, are suspected of corruption and bribery in connection with the contract to buy new police cars, broadcaster Nos said at the weekend.

One officer has been suspended, the broadcaster said, and all the officers suspected of involvement have been given new roles while the investigation continues.

The case dates back to 2012 and centres on a Volkswagen importer who won the contract to supply 13,000 cars.

Justice minister Ivo Opstelten has now written to parliament to say he has ordered a new tendering process because there appears to have been ‘of a breach of integrity’. It will take a year before that process has been completed, Opstelten said.

There is also talk of corruption in other tendering processes, including breathalysers and radio telephones, Radio 1 reporter Robert Bas said.