New Zealand’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has confirmed it has launched a preliminary investigation into single-desk kiwifruit marketer Zespri, according to Fairfax Media.
However, the nature of the investigation remain under wraps, with the SFO not releasing any further details, while Zespri denied it had been contacted by the crime unit.
“Zespri has not been contacted by the Serious Office and has no details of the scope or substance of an investigation,” a Zespri spokesperson told 3 News New Zealand.“Zespri will cooperate with any investigation the Serious Fraud Office may undertake.”
Earlier this year, a Shanghai court found Zespri’s Chinese subsidiary guilty of charges relating to the underpayment of customs duties on kiwifruit imports. The company was unable to have the charges overturned on appeal and the subsidiary was forced to pay a US$950,000 fine, while one of its employees faces a five-year prison sentence.
Kiwifruit Growers Association president Neil Trebilco said he was operating on a presumption of innocence until proven guilty.
“I'm surprised the SFO are doing such an inquiry because I haven't seen anything to suggest they should have done something like that,” Trebilco told NZFarmer.
“The real concern is that people might say well Zespri must be guilty of something here if the SFO are looking into it and I'd say that's not necessarily the case at all.”
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