Pernod Ricard reports today that a lawsuit brought against the Company, Diageo and Seagram in New York has been dismissed without prejudice.

 

The lawsuit was brought by a number of Regional Departments of Colombia who hold a constitutional monopoly for the production and distribution of spirits in Colombia.

 

These departments originally filed the case in October 2004 alleging that all three defendants had committed acts of unfair competition by selling their products through illegal distribution channels and receiving payments from organisations involved in money laundering.

 

The allegations have been consistently and vigorously denied by the defendants, with Pernod Ricard welcoming the dismissal.

 

In a statement today, the company said: “Pernod Ricard will continue to work with the Colombian Regional Departments in a cooperative effort to fight against smuggling and counterfeit products and to promote competitive markets that benefit consumers and producers alike.”

 

[IMAGE ABOVE: Colombia continues to open its doors to imported spirits – including the Presidential Palace in Bogotá].