Bribery claims being looked at

CANBERRA - The Australian Federal Police are considering whether to investigate foreign bribery claims referred to it by the nation's central bank.

Banknote supplier Securency International, part owned by the Reserve Bank of Australia, reportedly made a substantial number of commission payments to agents including some previously implicated in corruption scandals.

Police Deputy Commissioner Tony Negus said the procedure now was to assess all available information and identify whether offences had been committed under Commonwealth law.

"And in this case that looks like being the case," he told a Senate estimates committee hearing yesterday.

Fairfax weekend newspapers said some of Securency's agents had been named in official corruption investigations in Africa and Asia with at least one having a criminal conviction for fraud.

- AAP