$19.5 Million Worth of Fake NFL Goods Was Seized in One of the Largest Sports-Related Counterfeit Operations
Government authorities shut down several counterfeit operations this year, seizing $19.5 million worth of fake sports merchandise, reports WWD. Dubbed “Operation Team Player,” the federal agency teamed up with the NFL for this project after last year’s Super Bowl.During the year-long project, authorities made 52 arrests and confiscated over 326,000 items, including fake jerseys, hats, T-shirts, and Super Bowl-themed merchandise. Counterfeit goods were found by identifying international shipments, which helped authorities track down the warehouses and flea markets where the goods were being held and hawked.
Police, taxmen impound smuggled cigarettes
POLICE in collaboration with trade and tax officials have arrested three people in unlawful possession of smuggled cigarettes worth billions shillings in Mbagala area, Dar es Salaam.
The trio was arrested by the police, TRA and Fair Competition Commission (FCC) officials at various places in Mbagala stocking and selling nontax paid cigarettes, said Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mr Simon Siro.He named the suspects and added that they would appear in court soon. They are EfesoTweve, OmaryMetson and Frank Mrema. Upon conviction the suspects could face up to 15 years in jail or 50m/- fine.
Police Officers Training- Capacity Building Programme, Lucknow
30/1/2015 | Lucknow
The existence and operation of illicit markets has been an enduring problem that has escalated in scope and magnitude, impacting industries, consumers, government and economies as a whole. In fact, it is today one of the biggest challenges faced by Indian industry, impacting ‘Brand India’ globally. Intellectual Property is a tool to incentivize innovation and creativity to strengthen the economic growth of a nation. Enforcement agencies, the police and the customs, play a pivotal role in protection of these rights. There are adequate laws available, but it is the enforcement of these laws that makes the role of enforcement officers extremely important to fight against counterfeiters and smugglers.
FICCI’s Committee Against Smuggling and Counterfeiting Activities Destroying the Economy (FICCI CASCADE), in its endeavor to fight the twin menace over the years, has been sensitizing enforcement officers on this issue, equipping them to understand and take requisite action against counterfeiters and smugglers. On January 30, 2015, FICCI CASCADE conducted capacity building programme for police officers in Lucknow.
Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency, which administers the Government’s economic, trade and tariff policies, handles international traffic of imports & exports, and aids to minimize demerit goods from augmenting in the markets. With low barriers to market entry and infiltration, the Police play a significant role in ensuring and enforcing the protection of right owners. Keeping the above in view, FICCI CASCADE organized the capacity building programme with Police officers in Lucknow.
Mr. AK Jain, DGP Police (Training) UP was the chief guest at the programme. He congratulated FICCI CASCADE on this constructive initiative to train officers on this very pertinent issue. In his address, he said that the awareness among the enforcement agencies on the growing need to save the consumers from the hazards of counterfeiting & smuggling was a very essential. Products like counterfeited cosmetics, baby food, medicines, auto components, in particular,impacted consumers directly and hence was a serious health and safety concern for consumers, which needed to be addressed urgently. Mr. Jain also expresses his keen interest to develop a course for the officers in collaboration with FICCI CASCADE.
During the training, police officers were extensively briefed on the trend of counterfeiting and smuggling of various products, the extent of such products sold in open markets and the resultant loss of revenue to the Government and industry. Mr. Deep Chand, (Rtd. Special Commissioner of Police, Delhi) and Advisor FICCI CASCADE discussed the alarming presence of counterfeit products in the markets and its impact on the socio economic growth of the nation. He highlighted the finding of the study commissioned by the FICCI CASCADE, which estimated the magnitude of the grey market in respect of seven key sectors which were among the most vulnerable to counterfeiting and smuggling in India, including automotive parts, alcoholic beverages, computer hardware, personal goods, mobile phones, tobacco products, and packaged foods, and the ensuing impact on the economy. The study stated that in these seven sectors, the annual tax loss to the government in the year 2012 was estimated at Rs. 26,190 crore. It further assessed that an annual sales loss to the industry in these sectors was Rs. 72,969 crore in the year 2012. The maximum tax loss on account of smuggled and counterfeit products to the government was from the tobacco sector at Rs. 6,240 crore, followed by Fast Moving Consumer Goods.
The training programme, attended by over 40 police officers from Lucknow and Kanpur zones, provided a useful interactive platform for the exchange of ideas and experiences in the enforcement of laws and practices while dealing with counterfeiters and smugglers.
Customs Training Programme- Capacity Building Programme, Bangalore
30/1/2015 | Bangalore
Smuggling and counterfeiting in India are growing in scope and magnitude with every passing day. The extent and effects of smuggling and counterfeiting are of such significance that they compel strong and sustained action from governments, enforcement agencies, business, media, legal experts and consumers.
More effective enforcement is critical in this regard, as we need to build public support to combat smuggling and counterfeiting. With this view, FICCI CASCADE organised a training program of Customs officers to sensitize them on the menace of smuggling and counterfeiting, in Bangalore on 30th January, 2015.
Mr. Harish Kumar Additional Commissioner, Customs, Bangalore, while inaugurating the programme, shared his views and insights on the menace of counterfeiting and smuggling. Mr. Kumar welcomed FICCI CASCADE for bringing such an important issue of counterfeiting and smuggling. Welcoming the training programme for Customs officers organized by FICCI CASCADE, he said that these forums proved useful for industry-customs collaboration in understanding and tackling the growing menace of illicit trade practices, and these programs should be organized across the country.
Mr. P C Jha, Advisor, FICCI CASCADE and Ex-chairman, CBEC, sharing while his experience, highlighted the importance of creating public opinion to curb this menace. Mr. Jha emphasized that the high rates of taxes and the inter-state tax variations led to higher tax evasion. He cited the example of tobacco products such as cigarettes where the rate variation was so wide that it gave impetus to counterfeiting and smuggling activities.
The training programme was attended by over 30 customs officials, and provided a useful platform for the exchange of ideas and experiences in the detection and prevention of the entry of counterfeit and smuggled goods into the country.
Representatives of Harley Davidson and Puma gave presentations and exhibited samples of their original products alongside the counterfeit copies. The objective was to inform the participating Customs officials about the growing problem of counterfeiting and smuggling in the respective industry segments, and to highlight key technical aspects of their products which could facilitate the detection of counterfeit products. The participating Customs officials found the presentations constructive and interacted actively both with the company representatives and among themselves.
Acadiana Crime News: Acadia jailer accused of smuggling contraband
An Acadia Parish Detention Center employee was arrested Thursday on accusations he was smuggling drugs and tobacco products to inmates. Lester J. Landry, 25, of the 200 block of Mary Street, Iota, was booked on malfeasance in office and bringing contraband into a penal institution, said Maxine Trahan, Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman. Authorities found drugs, tobacco products and cell phones during a search of the inmates, Trahan said. Landry, who remained in jail Thursday afternoon in lieu of $35,000 bail, is accused of bringing the drugs and tobacco into the jail.
http://theadvocate.com/news/police/11403324-123/acadiana-crime-news-acadia-jailer
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Navigating the online shopping minefield
Buying on the internet is the future but be wary of the fine print and make sure you get a genuine product.
The season of sale is on. It’s not uncommon to see online retailers announcing “minimum 90 per cent off” or “flat 70 per cent off”. Some deals are available for Rs 1 and coupons worth Rs 10,000 if you sign up. The discounts and pricing seem tempting, until you scratch beneath the surface.
Chetan Tandel was looking for furniture for his new home. Online retailer Pepperfry offered him a Rs 10,000 free coupon on a sign-up.
Anti-counterfeiting alliance formed in Beijing
A strategic alliance on copyright issues was set up in Beijing on Friday to further improve protection of intellectual property rights.
More than 100 members of the non-government China Anti-Infringement and Anti-Counterfeiting Innovation Strategic Alliance called for modernized data sharing, a common management mechanism and a civilian monitoring system for IPR protection.
In the internet era, IPR infringement needs a public service platform based on big data analysis and information sharing, said Hong Yunfeng, director of the alliance.
http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclass-cnt.aspx?id=20150125000026&cid=1102
Lear MoreSecond Sentenced for Smuggling Counterfeit Cancer Drugs
The U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of Missouri sentenced SabahhadinAkman, an owner of the Turkish firm Ozay Pharmaceuticals, to 30 months imprisonment and a $150,000 fine for smuggling counterfeit, misbranded and adulterated cancer treatment drugs into the U.S., including multiple shipments of Altuzan, the Turkish version of Avastin.
In August 2014, Akman pleaded guilty to the same charges. Akman’s sentencing follows that of his business partner, OzkanSemizoglu, who in October 2014 was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison on similar charges.
http://www.infozine.com/news/stories/op/storiesView/sid/60915/
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The cigarettes that worry tobacco firms
Tobacco companies are warning of an increase in smuggling if the UK passes a law removing branding from cigarette packets. This is what happened when Australia shifted to plain packaging in 2012, it’s been reported, and the biggest rise was found in sales of brands known as “illicit whites”. Elle Metz asks why.
The most popular illegally sold cigarette brand in Australia is called Manchester, according to a 2013 study by KPMG. It’s not a counterfeit – it’s not designed to resemble a cigarette manufactured by a different company – but the packet is made to look entirely traditional.
http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-magazine-monitor-30949434
Lear MoreResearch and Markets: Anti-counterfeit and Brand Protection – Luxury Products, Beauty Products and Apparel: Potential Synergies in Shared Marketing and Distribution
The landscape for the brand protection business has been evolving substantially in the last few years and continues to do so. The scale and reach of the counterfeiting problem continues to grow dramatically to a significant extent due to two big drivers that in particular have been causing accelerated growth of counterfeit products finding their way in to global supply chains:
– China – Today the number one counterfeiter nation in the World – both for exports and for consumption within their own domestic market – Indeed up to some 80% of all counterfeit branded products are thought to originate in China according to the International Anti Counterfeiting Coalition (IACC)
http://www.sys-con.com/node/3281994
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