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Prosecutors raid Continental in German ‘dieselgate’ probe

German car parts maker Continental became the latest target of investigators in the country’s long-running “dieselgate” emissions cheating scandal Wednesday as prosecutors searched its offices.

The Hanover-based group confirmed to AFP the searches at its HQ as well as sites in two other cities, adding that it was “cooperating fully with the authorities”.

“We did not supply software to any of our customers for the purpose of manipulating emissions tests,” Continental added.

Wednesday’s searches are the latest in a long string of probes into the vast German auto industry following mammoth Volkswagen’s 2015 admission to cheating emissions tests on 11 million vehicles worldwide.

Software built into motors made the cars appear to spew fewer harmful pollutants in the lab than on the road.

So far the scandal has cost sprawling 12-brand group VW more than 30 billion euros, while other car and component makers have also fallen under suspicion.

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