Saudi anti-trust authority to file lawsuit against cement firms for ‘illicit’ activity

The Saudi General Authority for Competition (GAC) will file a penal lawsuit against unnamed cement companies for complicity in illicit activities within a cement industry cartel in the Western Province.

The decision came after investigations were launched against the cement producers, which GAC says had planned to distribute quotas, monopolize the market and control prices, GAC said in a statement after its board meeting on Tuesday.

No further details were mentioned about the cement firms in question.

GAC in December approved a decision to take legal action against the cement producers, which had allegedly been planning to form a "cartel" or illegal group, the authority said in its statement.