Dawn raids on Irish subsidiaries of UK companies are expected to increase significantly in the wake of Brexit, as European Commission cartel investigations are barred from enforcement activity on British soil, a legal expert has said. With an increased frequency of corporate “dawn raids” in recent years, hundreds of Irish-based companies now prepare for such an eventuality, although the number of those who are anticipating raids due to UK ties specifically is thought to be far fewer. “The easiest way to [investigate a suspected case involving a UK company] would be to work their way through the back door,” he said. Investigators use a list of search terms in computer systems to seek out evidence, an approach that makes the targeting of Irish-based companies easier given the common language. It doesn’t mean that the company is full of arsonists, it just means some day this might happen,” he said.

Source: The Irish Times February 19, 2019 00:07 UTC