Tax evasion probe: Googles office in Paris raided

May 24, 2016 21:17

French investigators swarmed Google's Paris offices on Tuesday as part of a tax fraud investigation, with the US Internet giant saying it is "cooperating fully" with the probe, AFP reported.

Prosecutors said police, tax officials and 25 computer experts took part in the raid.

"These searches are part of a preliminary investigation opened in June 16, 2015, into aggravated tax fraud and conspiracy to conceal (it), following a complaint by the French tax administration," the national financial prosecution service said in a statement.

A Google spokeswoman told AFP: "We respect French legislation and are fully cooperating with the authorities to answer their questions."

French authorities believe the Californian group owes 1.6 billion euros in back taxes, a source close to the matter said in February.

Google is one of several multinational corporations that have come under fire in Europe for paying extremely low taxes by shifting revenue across borders in an often complex web of financial arrangements.

Its European operations are headquartered in Ireland, which has some of the lowest corporate tax rates in the region.

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