BUCHAREST (AFP) - Three Romanians have been arrested on suspicion of involvement in a major art heist in Rotterdam in October, the Mediafax news agency reported on Tuesday.

Romanian police confirmed to AFP that they "led operations in connection with the theft of paintings in the Netherlands", but refused to elaborate.

The three Romanians were detained at the request of the Romanian prosecutors' office dealing with terrorism and organised crime (DIICOT), according to Mediafax.

When contacted by AFP, DIICOT spokeswoman Nadina Spinu confirmed only that an "investigation was ongoing" and declined to give further details so as "not to interfere" with the probe.

Seven masterpieces, including paintings by Picasso, Matisse, Monet and Gauguin, were stolen from the Kunsthal museum in the southwestern city of Rotterdam on Oct 16 in one of the world's most spectacular art heists in years.