Portugal investigates airline's purchase of Brazilian firm
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Portugal's attorney general's office says investigators have conducted searches of TAP Air Portugal's premises as part of an investigation into the airline's purchase of a Brazilian aircraft maintenance company.
A statement says authorities suspect the deal involved corruption, money-laundering and embezzlement, among other crimes.
The statement Friday said there are currently no formal suspects in the case. It gave no further details.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The investigation concerns TAP's 2007 purchase of VEM, a maintenance and engineering company that belonged to Brazil's now-defunct Varig Airlines.
TAP was partially privatized last year, with 50 percent now owned by the Atlantic Gateway consortium.