BEIJING, July 18 (Reuters) - Authorities in Shanghai havesuspended the business of a travel agency in connection withallegations of bribery against British drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline, the official Xinhua news agency said on Thursday.
Chinese police have started investigating suspected involvement by the Shanghai Linjiang International Travel Agencyin illegal activities such as falsifying bills, it said withoutelaborating.
The travel agency has been ordered to suspend its businessand carry out an internal overhaul, it said.
Reuters was not immediately able to reach the travel agencyfor comment.
Chinese police on Monday accused GSK of bribing officialsand doctors to boost sales and raise the price of its medicinesin China. They said GSK transferred up to 3 billion yuan ($489million) to 700 travel agencies and consultancies over six yearsto facilitate the bribes.
Britain's biggest drugmaker has said it was deeply concernedby the developments, which it called "shameful".
Police have detained four senior Chinese executives fromGSK, including vice president and operations manager Liang Hong,who told state television this week he had funnelled moneythrough travel agencies by arranging conferences, some of whichwere never held. That money was then used to pay bribes.
Glaxosmithkline (GSK)