An investigation is under way into the France-based defence company Thales for suspected bribery and corruption, the UK’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has announced.
A statement said a joint investigation involving the SFO’s French counterparts was under way though it did not detail any allegations beyond the suspected offences.
Although based in Paris, the multi-national aviation and defence electronics group employs more than 7,000 people in the UK.
It has been involved in providing weapons to Ukraine and in September agreed a £162m contract with the UK government to supply 650 Lightweight Multirole Missiles from its site in Belfast.
It was reported in June that police in France, the Netherlands and Spain had searched company offices over suspicions of corruption linked to arms sales abroad.
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Source : Sky News