Report: Mexico's federal watchdog to investigate Wal-Mart Mexico permits
Mexico City -- A Wall Street Journal report on Thursday said that the Mexico’s Ministry of Public Functions – the country’s public-sector watchdog – will investigate new-store permits secured by Wal-Mart’s Mexico division, Wal-Mart de Mexico.
The agency is looking for misconduct on the part of federal government employees in granting construction and other permits, according to WSJ.
Parent company Wal-Mart Stores is conducting its own investigation into allegations that Walmex paid bribes to public officials in Mexico to speed new-store openings.
Should the Ministry of Public Functions find that irregular conduct occurred, the federal government will take action, said the report. If the ministry finds evidence that public employees at the local level accepted bribes or otherwise engaged in illicit activity, then it will turn that evidence over to the corresponding local authorities, the ministry said.
The ministry also said it plans to request information from U.S. authorities so as to better investigate the allegations.