On the 28th (local time), the Frankfurt prosecutors raided eight local offices of Hyundai and Kia Motors in Germany and Luxembourg.
Prosecutors said they plan to deploy 140 people from the Hesse Police, Frankfurt prosecutors and Luxembourg investigative authorities in cooperation with the European Judicial Cooperation Agency (Eurojust) to secure evidence, communication data, software and design documents.
According to the prosecution, Hyundai and Kia Motors and the Borgvarner Group, a parts maker, are charged with illegally manipulating exhaust gases (fraud and air pollution).
Prosecutors said the two companies had distributed more than 210,000 diesel vehicles with illegal exhaust gas control devices by 2020.
With this device, the exhaust gas purifying device of these vehicles was frequently reduced or turned off in daily life, resulting in clearly emitting more nitrogen oxides than permitted, the prosecution explained.
Prosecutors pointed out that it was not known to customers that these vehicles did not meet the 2008-2015 'Euro 5' standards or the 'Euro 6' standards, which have more stringent environmental standards.
The damage may have occurred because customers bought the vehicle under such deception, prosecutors added.
The vehicles caught are vehicles with 1.1L, 1.4L, 1.6L, 1.7L, 2.0L, and 2.2L diesel engines on all Hyundai and Kia models.
The engine control software was produced by Bosch and Delphi, a parts company affiliated with the Borkwarner Group, the prosecution added.