The Australian Federal Police has dramatically entered the CFMEU and building industry scandal, revealing how a secret probe by detectives has uncovered huge sums of money paid to underworld figures to help secure union peace.

In a letter sent to up to a dozen companies by a senior AFP officer, the policing agency outlines suspicions that “building companies have been required to make facilitation payments to organised crime to prevent orchestrated stoppages at building sites”.

The letters request the firms – which operate in Victoria, NSW and Queensland, including on federal and state government funded projects – provide detectives with records and witness statements explaining why the payments were made.

The allegations described by the federal police in its letter are the strongest i

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