Colombia: Superintendence ratifies sanctions for security cartel

Colombian market regulator, the Superintendence of Industry and Commerce (SIC) ratified the sanctions it had imposed on seven private security and surveillance companies that, simulating free competition, manipulated bidding processes for State contracts.

This Tuesday, the Superintendence resolved the remaining appeals and determined sanctions against 14 individuals and seven companies, which exceed $14,000 million Colombian pesos. (Approximately US$5 million) The companies indicted (Guardianes, Starcoop, Cobasec, Experts, Centinel, Insevig Ltda, and Security Management Group) pretended to compete against one another in bids before the state when, in fact, they were coordinated by the SMG group, owned by businessman Jorge Arturo Moreno Ojeda.
 
“The [agency] certified the existence of a system created and executed by companies and individuals to limit free competition by participating in public procurement processes simulating independent and autonomous competitors, when in fact they were not …”, reported in a statement the SIC.

Despite the sanctions and fines, companies condemned by cartelization can continue to contract with the State. At the time, the delegated superintendent, Felipe García, assured that “the fact that the companies condemned by cartelization are not disqualified from contracting with the State is a point for the country to reflect on”.

Full Content: El Espectador

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