Suzuki is being targeted by European judicial authorities for diesel emissions.
The searches - carried out in three European countries, Germany, Italy and Hungary - aim to collect data and documents to verify whether the data on the emissions of diesel engines fitted to some models have been manipulated through the use of unauthorized devices.
The devices were allegedly built in Italy and assembled in Hungary in a Japanese group factory.
The news was released by Eurojust, the EU judicial cooperation unit, which assists the authorities of Germany, Italy and Hungary in the operation.
The searches, at the request of the Frankfurt Public Prosecutor's Office, are carried out in Italy by the Turin police and by the Turin and Milan Guardia di Finanza.
The objective, explains Eurojust,
is to obtain documents, data and correspondence.
The information collected will be subsequently analyzed by the judicial authorities concerned.
The Japanese carmaker in Europe is based in Germany and - says Eurojust - should be aware that starting from 2018 diesel engines have been equipped with devices to 'beautify' emissions.
The searches concerned in detail the commercial offices of Bensheim and Heidelberg in Germany, Corbetta (Milan) in Italy and Esztergom in Hungary.
In addition to the Frankfurt Public Prosecutor's Office for Germany, the Hessian police are involved in the investigation and the Komárom-Esztergom county police for Hungary.
Fca Italia supplied Suzuki with the engines and Marelli with the control unit that manages the engine emissions.
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Fca Italia - comments Stellantis - has been informed of a request to provide information and documents in relation to further investigations by the Frankfurt Public Prosecutor regarding the use of presumably inadmissible emission control software in diesel engines supplied to Suzuki.
This follows the investigation activities on similar allegations conducted in 2020. The company will continue to cooperate fully in the investigations on the matter ". Marelli does not comment in detail, but confirms" full cooperation with the authorities in their investigation.
Marelli is convinced that it has always operated in full compliance with the regulations. "As early as 2016, the company had answered a questionnaire on the EU emissions system, verifying that all activities were compliant with the rules.