British police investigating corruption related to the tabloid phone-hacking scandal say they have arrested two police officers and a journalist.

London's Metropolitan Police say the three were detained Thursday morning on allegations related to "inappropriate payments to police and public officials."

The corruption probe is running alongside investigations into phone hacking and computer hacking sparked by revelations that reporters at Rupert Murdoch's now-shuttered News of the World tabloid routinely intercepted voicemails of those in the public eye.

Dozens of people have been arrested and several charged over the scandal, including former Murdoch executive Rebekah Brooks.

Last week a senior detective was convicted of trying to pass police information to the News of the World.