Dawn Raid

Officials turn up, often early in the morning, with a written authorisation or warrant. They can enter offices, ask for explanations, and copy documents, emails and phone data. The surprise is deliberate, since evidence in a cartel case is easy to delete. Inspectors may seal rooms and return the next day. Companies prepare with a response plan: a trained reception team, a call to outside counsel, a named person to shadow each inspector, and a record of everything copied. Staff must not obstruct the raid, destroy files or tip off others, and doing so can bring its own fine. Legal privilege can limit what inspectors may take, but how far it covers in-house lawyers differs between countries. Raids are normally carried out by competition authorities, though other regulators use similar powers. Firms have been fined for broken seals or deleted mail alone, so the handling of the day can cost more than the suspicion behind it.

At 8.30 a.m. officials from a competition authority arrive at a packaging manufacturer's head office. Reception calls the legal director, who phones external counsel and assigns one employee to accompany each inspector. IT staff are told not to delete anything. The officials copy mailboxes and leave with sealed folders at the end of the second day.