A Nokia (NOK) factory in Chennai, India has reportedly been raided by authorities due to a massive unpaid tax bill. According to The Economic Times, tax authorities in India have confirmed that Nokia owes roughly $542 million in taxes and the raids will continue through much of Tuesday. At the time of the original report, authorities were unsure if operations at the factory would be shut down as a result of the raids. Nokia’s statement on the matter, as issued to The Next Web, follows below.
Earlier today, tax officials visited Nokia’s manufacturing unit in Chennai. Nokia is fully cooperating to ensure they get the necessary information to help in their inquiry. Our operations in Chennai are continuing unaffected.
As a global company, Nokia consistently fields a large and steady number of tax queries, audits and assessments. Nokia’s commitment to being a good corporate citizen is firm and unwavering: we always observe applicable laws and rulings in the countries where we operate. This has been a core principle of our operations in India, where Nokia has been present since 1995.
