05:07 AM EST, 01/21/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Apple ( AAPL ) is facing a criminal probe launched by Belgium into allegations the company uses minerals sourced from African conflict zones in its supply chain, the Financial Times reported Monday, citing lawyers acting on behalf of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Prosecutors in Belgium last week appointed an investigative judge with the authority to issue arrest warrants and place wiretaps to oversee the probe of whether Apple ( AAPL ) uses the mineral tantalum collected from mines that finance warlords connected to alleged human rights abuses, the report said, citing the lawyers.

"This is the first step which shows that the prosecutor takes the case very seriously," the FT cited lawyer Christophe Marchand as saying.

Apple ( AAPL ) and the Belgian federal prosecutor's office did not immediately reply to MT Newswires' requests for comment. Apple ( AAPL ) denied the allegations when they surfaced last month.

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