French police detained suspects in Mohamed Al Fayed investigation

French police searched the Ritz hotel and Villa Windsor in Paris, as well as Villa Sainte-Thérèse in Saint-Tropez, on 13 and 14 October, the BBC reported, citing a letter from London’s Metropolitan Police.

A statement from French authorities shared by the Met said several suspects were taken into police custody and released after questioning. Digital material seized during the searches is being analysed, and the investigation continues under the direction of Paris prosecutors.

The Paris prosecutor’s office also confirmed the detentions to AFP. The Met told the BBC that British officers travelled to France and were present during the operation.

The French investigation, opened in 2025, is examining allegations of organised human trafficking, procuring and rape, and seeking possible accomplices, Le Dauphiné Libéré reported with AFP.

Al Fayed, the former owner of Harrods and the Ritz, died in 2023. More than 20 women accused him of sexual assault in a BBC documentary and podcast in September 2024. One woman said he sexually assaulted her at the Ritz; another said he raped her at Villa Windsor. Since then, more than 400 alleged victims or witnesses have come forward to lawyers, according to the BBC.

The Justice for Fayed and Harrods Survivors group welcomed what it called “significant developments” and urged investigators to examine other properties owned by Al Fayed for potentially relevant evidence.