Caracas, Aug 9 (Prensa Latina) The Venezuelan Prosecutor's Office this week issued a list of 116 companies under investigation for alleged inappropriate use of hard currencies, official sources said on Saturday.

According to the Prosecutor's Office, the list of companies was sent to the National Foreign Trade Center (CENCOEX), the institution that is verifying the use of hard currencies provided by the State.

Among the companies under investigation are distributors, sellers and importers, some of which operate in the sectors of food, electrical appliances and medical equipment.

It also includes some of the so-called suitcase firms, which are established as a way to access formally to hard currencies.