Noticias

The National Economic Prosecutor launched its investigation in 2017, after the two companies were indicted in Spain for taking part in an international cartel. The FNE requested over $US 6 million in fines.

The office of the National Economic Prosecutor (FNE) filed yesterday a complaint before the Competition Tribunal (TDLC), against Faasa and Martínez Ridao, the Chilean subsidiaries of two Spanish companies, part of the aerial firefighting market. The FNE accused the companies of forming and maintaining a cartel to allocate contracts by agreeing the prices and conditions they would offer to their clients.  According to the complaint, the cartel operated from 2009 to 2015.

The cartel affected public and private clients.  Among the public clients are the Chilean agency responsible for the protection of forests (CONAF) and the National Emergency Office (ONEMI). The private clients affected are large forestry companies.

The FNE launched its investigation in February 2017, after having learned that the Spanish authorities indicted several companies for allocating geographical markets in Spain and abroad, including Italy, France, Portugal and Chile. The FNE raided both companies in May 2017.

The FNE requested US$ 2.6 million in fines for Faasa and US$ 3.5 million for Martinez.