Investigations into corruption, trading and the influencing and bribery of foreign public officials have led to 15 searches across France, Spain and the Netherlands. A multinational company is being investigated for possible corruption and money laundering involving civilian and military equipment.
French authorities have started multiple investigations into the company. The first investigation, opened at the end of 2016, concerns the sale of defence material and the construction of a naval base, around which there are suspicions of corruption.
A second investigation, opened in June 2023, concerns the suspected corruption and influencing of foreign public officials linked to the sale of civilian and military equipment abroad.
As the company has subsidiaries in Spain and the Netherlands that needed to be searched, Eurojust helped connect the French authorities with the Spanish and Dutch authorities. Eurojust ensured swift cooperation between the authorities by organising a coordination centre. The coordination centre was set up for the execution of mutual legal assistance requests sent by France as well as to relay and solve any urgent issues arising amongst the three countries during an action day held on 26 June. The action day led to 15 searches at several of the subsidiaries in France, Spain and the Netherlands. The searches were undertaken by over 80 officers, including 65 in France, 8 in Spain and 12 in the Netherlands.
The authorities involved in the actions were as follows:
- France: National Financial Public Prosecution Office (PPO); Central Office against corruption and tax fraud.
- Netherlands: National Office for Serious Fraud, Environmental Crime and Asset Confiscation; Fiscal Information and Investigation Service
- Spain: Anticorruption Public Prosecution Office (PPO); Central Court number 3 at the Audiencia Nacional; Judicial National Police Unit attached to the Anticorruption PPO
