Hamburg, June 12 - German authorities are investigating allegations that up to 370 million euros ($520.5 million) of EU sugar export subsidies were fraudulently claimed, the public prosecution service in Hamburg said on Friday.
Some 35 locations throughout Germany have been visited in the investigation this month, prosecution service spokesman Wilhelm Moellers said.
The allegations involve fraudulent claims for European Union sugar export subsidies between 2000 to 2006, he said. The investigation involves six main suspects, he added.
Large volumes of papers have been impounded by authorities and the investigations would take some time while these were examined, he said.