The U.S. Justice Department is launching a new initiative to identify businesses that take advantage of disruptions in the supply chain to make increased profits in violation of federal antitrust laws, a report said.
The program was unveiled yesterday by the FBI and the Justice Department‘s antitrust division amid the ongoing supply chain issues and labor shortages in the country, which have affected businesses since the pandemic.
Justice Department lawyers are concerned that businesses may “seek to exploit supply chain disruptions for their own illicit gain.”
If this is the case, the Justice Department and the FBI will investigate antitrust violations, the department warned.
According to prosecutors, these violations could involve agreements between businesses and individuals to fix wages or prices or alter bids.
It is also worth noting that the U.S. government has established a working group that is focused on collusion in the supply chain. The group will share information and uncover global schemes together with officials from other countries such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.
“Temporary supply chain disruptions should not be allowed to conceal illegal conduct,” said Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter, who runs the Justice Department‘s antitrust division.
“The Antitrust Division will not allow companies to collude in order to overcharge consumers under the guise of supply chain disruptions.”