Two US citrus giants have been raided by the FBI, at the request of the antitrust division of the US Department of Justice.
FBI agents served warrants and inspected computer records at DNE World Fruit Sales and Seald Sweet International, which are alleged to have colluded to set prices, according to Richard Carnell, general counsel for fruit importer DNE.
DNE World Fruit Sales is in Fort Pierce and Seald Sweet International in Vero Beach, Florida, and Carnell has dismissed the allegations. They "ultimately will be seen to be meritless and have no substance to it," he said. Federal officials have not confirmed the nature of the warrants, and agents for the FBI in Miami and Atlanta deferred comment to the department.
Carnell said it appears the investigation is the result of a disgruntled competitor in the citrus industry. "Frankly, it's a pretty litigious society and people try to air their grievances by filing claims," he said. "The investigators came in this morning and are looking at records, primarily involving the import programmes from South Africa and Australia."
Coralee Penabad, general counsel for Seald Sweet International, confirmed the company had also been contacted by federal authorities.
"Seald Sweet has received a request for information regarding an investigation by the Department of Justice," she said. "Sealed Sweet is cooperating regarding the investigation and request."
