London police said five men and one woman were arrested in dawn raids on Tuesday at locations in and around the British capital. The suspects, aged between 28 and 49, were taken into custody by officers from Operation Weeting, the Metropolitan Police investigation into the hacking scandal.

"All six - five men and one woman - were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice," a police statement said.

Rebekah Brooks, a former editor of the scandal-hit News International tabloid News of the World, was arrested for a second time.

The arrests are part of the investigation into mobile phone hacking by journalists at British newspapers to search for information for articles. Police have arrested dozens of people in the course of the probe over the past year.

In July, News International shut down News of the World as a result of the scandal.

ncy/pfd (AP, AFP, Reuters)