Authorities in Germany, Italy and Switzerland have raided the offices of car giant Fiat-Chrysler and truck maker CNH Industrial over claims some engines produced illegal levels of emissions. The action concerns alleged use of so-called “defeat devices” to mask vehicles’ diesel pollution output.
Engines used by Fiat, Alfa Romeo and Jeep, as well as CNH’s Iveco trucks are the focus of the probe. UK authorities have also asked two firms in London to provide documents. Fiat-Chrysler Automobile (FCA) and CNH Industrial (CNH) are both controlled by Exor, the holding company of Italy’s Agnelli family.
A statement from Eurojust, a European Union agency for criminal cooperation across member states, said the probe is looking into a “number of people” who may have been involved in allegedly allowing use of the devices. It did not name them. Eurojust did not name the companies raided. However, FCA and CNH issued similar statements, acknowledging that investigators had turned up at several offices in Europe, and that they are cooperating fully with authorities. Eurojust also said that “UK authorities have ordered two companies in London to produce relevant documents”. Again, these companies were not named.
Source: BBC