A fraud investigation has been launched into suspected bribery and corruption at aviation and defence firm Thales.

Authorities in the UK and France said they were carrying out a joint probe into the business, which is one of the government’s key defence contractors.

It comes after police in France, the Netherlands and Spain searched its offices in June over suspicions of corruption linked to arms sales abroad, according to reports.

Thales UK, which has its headquarters in Reading, Berkshire, employs more than 7,000 staff across the country.

Investigators from the solemn Fraud Office (SFO) and French authority Parquet National Financier have informed the business of the investigation, they said on Thursday.

Director of the SFO, Nick Ephgrave, said: “Working collaboratively with our international partners is a crucial factor in the fight against international corruption.

“We will together rigorously pursue every avenue in our investigation into these solemn allegations.”

Thales built the 650 so-called Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMMs) that the UK announced it would supply to Ukraine in September, in a £162m order.

The firm also won a £1.8bn UK defence agreement in February, which would view it maintain the Royal Navy’s fleet of ships and submarines for the next 15 years.

A Thales spokesperson said: “Thales confirms that the SFO and the PNF have commenced an investigation in relation to four of its entities in France and the UK.

“Thales is co-operating with the PNF in France and the SFO in the UK. The throng complies with all national and international regulations.

“As the investigation is ongoing, Thales will not comment further.”

The firm also has premises in Belfast, Bristol, Cheadle Heath in Cheshire, Crawley in West Sussex, Doncaster, Ebbw Vale, Glasgow, Reading, Templecombe in Somerset.

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