Gas Argentino, which holds a controlling stake in Metrogas (MGS), Argentina's leading gas distribution company, says that a local court has embargoed $7.6 million worth of its Class A shares in the distributor.

The shares were embargoed after Coolbrand, a Canadian-based investment fund, asked the court to prevent Gas Argentino from selling or transferring them.

Gas Argentino had reached a deal in 2005 to restructure debt owed to Ashmore Group and Marathon, another investment fund. But Argentine authorities never approved the deal.

Coolbrand, which could not be contacted for this story, appears to be trying to prevent Gas Argentino from reaching a deal with other creditors before its own claims are met.

Coolbrand also got the court to embargo another $2.2 million worth of Metrogas shares corresponding to "interest and costs" involved in its bid to recover funds, according to a statement Gas Argentino sent to the Buenos Aires Stock Exchange on Wednesday.

Gas Argentino, whose investors include British Gas and Repsol (REP), controls 70% of Metrogas.

-By Taos Turner, Dow Jones Newswires; 5411-4590-2421; taos.turner@dowjones.com