“Criminal cartels are akin to complex fraud, and can operate over many years at the expense of consumers and taxpayers as a result of higher prices and reduced choice. As such the regulated use of investigatory powers, including equipment interference, plays a critical role in the CMA’s investigations,” said Simon Belgard, a spokesperson for the Competition and Markets Authority.

[…]

“They are amongst the most egregious forms of anti-competitive conduct and are commonly conducted in secret, making them difficult to detect and prove without such powers.”

Text from: http://motherboard.vice.com/read/a-uk-government-department-uses-hacking-powers-to-catch-price-fixing-cartels