British, French, Dutch officials 'visit' Credit Suisse sites

FILE - This Oct. 21, 2015 file photo shows the logo of the Swiss bank Credit Suisse, in Zurich, Switzerland. European authorities are investigating dozens of people suspected of tax evasion involving Swiss bank Credit Suisse, officials said Friday, March 31, 2017. Dutch authorities in particular said they had detained two people and seized assets including luxury cars, paintings and even a gold bar in the multi-country sweep. (Walter Bieri/Keystone via AP, file) (The Associated Press)

FILE- In this Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009 file photo, a pigeon rests near a building hosting offices of Credit Suisse bank in Milan, Italy. European authorities are investigating dozens of people suspected of tax evasion involving Swiss bank Credit Suisse, officials said Friday, March 31, 2017. (AP Photo/ Antonio Calanni, File) (The Associated Press)

GENEVA – Credit Suisse says its offices in London, Paris and Amsterdam have received "visits" by local authorities in connection with unspecified client tax issues.

The Swiss bank said Friday that the contacts took place a day earlier, emphasizing its "strategy of full client tax compliance." It said Credit Suisse will next month start a program of automatic information exchange with European countries.

Credit Suisse spokeswoman Anna Sexton declined to comment further.

Swiss banks have long been a focus of international efforts to clamp down on tax evasion.

In December, the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force said Switzerland had achieved "good results" in fighting money laundering and terrorism financing, but called on it to strengthen its compliance controls, boost scrutiny on the use of cash and share information more with foreign authorities.