TORONTO - Ontario Provincial Police say the focus of an anti-rackets investigation that led to raids on several provincial government offices last month is on employees accepting benefits from a vendor.
In a release Tuesday night, police said the benefits that are believed to have been received include cash, services and goods.
Provincial police say it is also believed that employees disclosed the amounts of bids from competitors to a vendor during the competitive procurement process.
Police say the investigation has also found instances where it is believed that inflated invoices and invoices for services not rendered were submitted by a vendor.
Police say the total value to date of offences being investigated is approximately $400,000.
Last week, Premier Dalton McGuinty said the three offices that were the target of the provincial police raid were the ministries of Transportation, Economic Development and Trade, and Community and Social Services.
The investigation involves "irregular financial transactions between a vendor and employees of the Ministry of Transportation, Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, Ministry of Community and Social Services and two facility management companies," police said Tuesday.
On July 15, police executed search warrants on the offices of the three ministries and seized a large volume of documents and electronic records that are currently being reviewed.
