Hundreds of millions of dollars of allegedly improper payments under review by China’s police. Evidence of sexual favours allegedly exchanged as part of an elaborate scheme to boost sales and profits in the world’s fastest-growing drug market. It was not what GlaxoSmithKline, the UK pharmaceuticals group rebuilding its image after past scandals, wanted to hear.

Gao Feng, the head of economic crimes investigation unit at the Ministry of Public Security, said yesterday GSK had used travel agencies as conduits to pass bribes to government officials, doctors, hospitals and industry associations. He said the travel companies acted as accomplices, with GSK being the “ringleader”.

The probe represents China’s highest profile bribery investigation of a foreign company since fresh anti-bribery rules came into effect in 2011 and 2013, making it an important test of how the new rules are applied.