Google Inc.’s Jakarta office was raided by Indonesian authorities after they warned the company for refusing a tax audit.
Officers visited Google’s office in central Jakarta “many times” in the past two weeks to collect data and repeatedly sought meetings with senior company officials, Muhammad Haniv, the head of special taxpayers at the Finance Ministry, said in a phone interview Thursday. Google has “paid all applicable taxes in Indonesia,” Taj Meadows, a spokesman, said by e-mail, adding the company is cooperating with the government.
“Everyone must comply, whoever they may be,” Haniv said. “If you refuse to be audited, then we will keep chasing you.” The government had earlier written to the company warning it for refusing a tax audit, which can result in criminal punishment, he said.
