The Paris prosecutor’s office told reporters that sites being searched include Lactalis’ headquarters in Laval, western France and the factory in Craon, where salmonella bacteria was found last year.

The outbreak has caused 37 babies in France to fall ill, as well as others in Spain and one suspected case in Greece. Of the 37 affected babies in France, 18 were hospitalised, however they are expected to make a full recoveries.

Lawsuits are being filed by parents who became unwell after drinking the formula.

The raids come as a result of more than 12m boxes of powdered baby milk were recalled from 83 countries.

The French government has laid the blame for the widening crisis squarely on both Lactalis, one of the world’s largest dairy groups, and on retailers who sold the tainted products despite a recall.

“When you have a case of milk on the market which has clearly caused complicated health problems for children, it means at some point there was negligence,” government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux said on Sunday.

Lactalis said in a statement as the raids unfolded that it would “collaborate fully with the judiciary and provide all elements required for the investigation”.

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83 countries affected by major Lactalis infant formula recall