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Investigators have been probing Google's offices in central
Paris since 0500 am (0300 GMT), said the source, who declined to
be named.
"A raid is underway at Google's," the source said, confirming a
report in French daily Le Parisien.
About 100 investigators are part of the raid, Le Parisien wrote.
A spokesman for Google was not immediately available for
comment.
France, Britain and other countries have long complained at the
way Google, Yahoo! and other digital giants generate profits in
their countries but have their tax base in other countries,
where corporate tax rates are far lower.
France is seeking some 1.6 billion euros ($1.79 billion) in back
taxes from U.S. Internet giant Google, criticised for its use of
aggressive tax optimisation techniques, another finance ministry
source had said in February.
Google had in January agreed to pay 130 million pounds in back
taxes to Britain, prompting criticism from opposition lawmakers
and campaigners.
(Reporting by Michel Rose; additional reporting by Mathieu
Rosemain and Gwenaelle Brazic; writing by Ingrid Melander;
editing by Geert De Clercq)
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