The Chinese authorities have launched an espionage investigation against Coca-Cola following allegations that the US beverage giant is involved in spying activities in the Asian nation.

The investigations were launched after the company was accused of making illegal maps of restricted areas in China, according to a media reports in the country. Chinese officials blamed the company’s subsidiaries for being involved in spying activities in several provinces in China. It is believed that the Ministry of State Security is involved in the investigations against the company.

A report in the Chinese media reported that the company used -held GPS devices to collect sensitive geographic information in Yunnan province. Coca-Cola has reportedly said that the company is fully co-operating with the investigation. It also said that it used only GPS devices used only digital map and customer logistic systems that were available in the country.

The Yunnan Geographical Information Bureau of Surveying and Mapping blamed the company for “illegally collecting classified information with handheld GPS equipment”. The probe has deepened the on-going tensions between China and the US over the espionage charges. The probe could put the company right in the middle of the debacle between the two nations.