National police Commissioner Howard Cotto says those arrested today are suspected of money laundering. They include Saca's brother-in-law and a prominent publicist.
Saca has declared his innocence in the case.
He and several close associates are being prosecuted for the alleged diversion of at least USD 246 million in government funds. Prosecutors say some USD 116 million of that amount was transferred to private accounts of presidential employees and later to other accounts and businesses, some of them belonging to Saca.