's Parisheadquarters was searched by French tax police investigating the Panama Papersleak, Reuters reported April 10.

Aspokesman for the bank called the April 5 searches a "normaldevelopment in the context of such an investigation," according to thenews service.

Reuters cited French newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche as reporting that the police action wasintended to identify holders of offshore shell companies.

SociétéGénérale CEO Frédéric Oudéa earlierdenied that the bankhelped clients create offshore companies in the recent past, saying in aninterview with Le Figaro that "onlya few dozen" of the 979 offshore vehicles associated with the bank in theleak were still active.