November 16, 2021
Alkaloids of Australia Pty Ltd pleaded guilty on Tuesday in Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court to taking part in criminal cartel conduct.
The company, which operates a major duboisia processing facility in Memerambi, pleaded guilty to three charges and admitted a further seven offences involving price fixing, bid rigging and market allocation cartel arrangements with other overseas pharmaceutical ingredient suppliers.
The plea comes only weeks after its former export manager, Christopher Kenneth Joyce, pleaded guilty to criminal cartel charges relating to the same conduct.
Joyce pleaded guilty to three charges, and admitted his guilt in respect of seven further offences, relating to his conduct in respect of cartel arrangements between Alkaloids of Australia and other scopolamine suppliers.
Alkaloids of Australia has been committed to the Federal Court of Australia for sentencing.
The matter is listed for a case management hearing on November 25.
The charges relate to an investigation by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission into the conduct which continued over a period of almost ten years from July 2009, when criminal cartel laws came into force in Australia.
The matter is being prosecuted by the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions.
Related articles
- Alkaloids Manager Pleads Guilty
- Alkaloids Charges Adjourned
- Swiss Probe Alleged Cartel
- ACCC Alleges Alkaloids ‘Cartel’
External link: ABC’s Landline featured Kingaroy’s duboisia industry in a recent TV program
