Antitrust officials have accused five gas station owners in Kuban of price gouging.

The Krasnodar office of the FAS has initiated cases against five owners of gas stations for violating antitrust legislation due to a sharp rise in retail fuel prices.

As reported by "Caucasian Knot", on September 25, authorities reported 79 operating gas stations in Krasnodar, while users of the network noted that finding 95-octane gasoline is extremely difficult.

The companies involved are LLC "Laba" (the "Laba" network), LLC "NK Neftesfera" ("Neftesfera"), LLC "Southern Oil Company" (the same name network), LLC MHO "Rassvet" ("Ufimneft") and LLC "Kedr" ("Atan"). Cases against the first four companies were initiated on July 29, and against "Kedr" on August 31.

All companies were previously issued warnings demanding to cease actions that have signs of violating antitrust legislation. In addition to these five, warnings were issued to LLC "Krymenergoresurs" (also the "Atan" network), LLC "Vetlan" and individual entrepreneur Kurdin (the "Stepnaya" network). All materials are under review, reports "Kommersant" today, citing the Krasnodar office of the FAS.

The agency monitors fuel prices in the regional retail market daily, and the Russian government has taken control of fuel supplies to regions where local delays have been recorded, including Krasnodar Krai. Vertically integrated oil companies, as noted in the material, are keeping retail prices within previously agreed parameters, close to inflation.

The message does not specify which particular norms of antitrust law the companies allegedly violated, how much prices have risen at their gas stations, and what sanctions they face. The deadlines for reviewing the cases, the dates of issuing warnings, the number of gas stations in each network, and the cities where they operate are not mentioned.

"Caucasian Knot" reported that at the end of August, the owner of the "Stepnaya" gas station reduced fuel prices after a warning from the agency. Prices also decreased at the gas stations of four networks against which cases had been initiated by that time.