The Superintendence of Industry and Commerce (SIC), as national competition protection authority, has sanctioned 51 market agents and 19 individuals with a fine of COP $3.106.861.964 (USD $673.373) for having breached the free economic competition regime of Colombia in 259 bids carried out by the CORPORACIÓN AUTÓNOMA REGIONAL DEL CANAL DEL DIQUE, whose purpose was the cleaning, re-cleaning and maintenance of canals, streams and other water resources, as well as the maintenance and reinforcement of jarillones in 21 municipalities of the Atlantic coast.
The 51 market agents would have colluded in the bid offers, by distributing the contracts through the formation of 53 sub-agreements. Additionally, 6 employees and former employees of the CORPORACIÓN AUTÓNOMA REGIONAL DEL CANAL DEL DIQUE were sanctioned for having facilitated and tolerated anti-competitive conducts and by participating in the structuring of the bid offers, and the preparation and approval of different specifications in favor of said market agents.