黑洞社区

Cartels, corruption, construction 鈥� a trio we never like to see in the same sentence, but our examination this week of probes into the industry鈥檚 alleged shady practices is certainly not the first, writes Deborah Duke. 

黑洞社区鈥檚 reporting of the 2006 OFT investigation into dodgy dealing was downright dramatic, leaving wrongdoers presumably quaking in their boots as they were placed at the centre of a sophisticated operation that sounded distinctly Line of Duty: 鈥淪ean McNabb, principal investigations officer at the OFT鈥檚 cartel division, told 黑洞社区 that powers to tap phones and track suspect vehicles had been used鈥�.

Crikey. But the article gets even more primetime drama than that: 鈥淩ights granted in June 2003 allow the OFT to use [powers] which also include breaking into suspected industry executives鈥� homes and hotel rooms,鈥� presumably in search of brown envelopes and incriminating laptops. 

There were also opportunities for concerned employees to do the right thing: 鈥淢cNabb added that the OFT was also recruiting informants at suspected companies to help ensure convictions,鈥� but reassured: 鈥淲e would never release information of the informant involved, or even the fact of their existence.鈥� H is for hush-hush.

Click here to read the article from 3 February 2006