Price-fixing guilty plea

A FORMER export manager from pharmaceu cal ingredients company, Alkaloids of Australia, is set to face sentencing over criminal cartel conduct charges next month.

Christopher Joyce entered guilty pleas to three charges rela ng to breaches of the Compe on and Consumer Act and admized being involved in seven further offences including price‐fixing, bid rigging and market alloca on cartel arrangements between Alkaloids of Australia and other overseas providers of scopolamine N‐butylbromide (SNBB), an ingredient produced by the company for use in an spasmodic medica ons, at a hearing in Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court this morning.

The charges followed an inves ga on by the Australian Compe on and Consumer Commission (ACCC), and related to price‐fixing over an eight‐ year period from Jul 2009, when criminal cartel laws came into force in Australia.

“This is the first guilty plea by an individual to criminal cartel conduct under the criminal cartel laws,” ACCC Chair Rod Sims noted.

Following his guilty pleas, Joyce has been commized to the Federal Court of Australia for sentencing, with the mazer listed for case management on 10 Nov.

Under the legisla on Joyce could face up to 10 years’ imprisonment and/or fines of up to $444,000.

In a statement following Joyce’s latest hearing, the ACCC said that proceedings against Alkaloids of Australia were con nuing.

“Alkaloids of Australia is yet to enter pleas to the criminal cartel charges it is facing. That mazer is listed in the Downing Centre Local Court on o9 Nov 2021,” the ACCC said.

“As these mazers are currently before the court, the ACCC will not be providing further comment at this me.”