Between Wednesday June 26 and Friday June 28, searches were carried out at the headquarters of various companies of the French arms group Thales in France, the Netherlands and Spain. Searches which take place as part of two ongoing preliminary investigations.
Large-scale search operations were carried out this week between Wednesday June 26 and Friday June 28 at the headquarters of various companies of the French arms group Thales in France, the Netherlands and Spain, BFMTV learned.
These operations, decided by magistrates from the national financial prosecutor’s office, mobilized 65 investigators from the OCLCIFF (the Central Office for the Fight against Corruption and Financial and Fiscal Offenses), 12 magistrates from the national financial prosecutor’s office, with the collaboration of the Dutch and Spanish judicial authorities, and the coordination of Eurojust, the European Union agency for judicial cooperation in criminal matters.
Reached by BFMTV, “Thales confirms that searches have taken place. The Group is cooperating with the competent authorities. Thales reiterates that it strictly complies with national and international regulations. The company has developed and implemented a global compliance program to which it complies and which meets the highest industry standards.”
Two investigations in progress
According to a judicial source at BFMTV, these searches are part of two preliminary investigations relating in particular to corruption and influence peddling by foreign public officials.
The first investigation was opened at the end of 2016, including charges of “corruption of a foreign public official”, “private corruption”, “criminal conspiracy” and “money laundering” of these offenses, relating to the sale of submarines and the construction of a naval base in Brazil.
The second was opened in June 2023, including charges of “corruption” and “peddling in influence of a foreign public official”, “private corruption”, “criminal association”, “money laundering” and “concealment” of these offences, relating to various operations for the sale of military and civilian equipment abroad. These investigations are continuing.
Alexandra Gonzalez and Vincent Vantighem with Fanny Rocher
