Five per cent of medicines in Malaysia are counterfeit – Pfizer
About five per cent of medicines in Malaysia are counterfeit, the Emerging Markets Health Network estimates.Pfizer Director of Global Security Mark Robinson said although the prevalence is relatively low compared to other countries in the region, counterfeit drug is a growing concern in Malaysia.
http://english.astroawani.com/news/show/five-cent-medicines-malaysia-are-counterfeit-pfizer-48197?cp
Lear MoreSolon seeks congressional probe on cigarette smuggling in PHL
A lawmaker has asked Congress to investigate the illicit trade of cigarettes in the country, which cost the government close to P16 billion in uncollected taxes last year.In an effort to plug revenue loss, AAMBIS-Owa party-list Rep. Sharon Garin has filed House Resolution 1542 – calling on the House Ways and Means committee to probe into the smuggling of tobacco products.
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Solon seeks congressional probe on cigarette smuggling in PHL
A lawmaker has asked Congress to investigate the illicit trade of cigarettes in the country, which cost the government close to P16 billion in uncollected taxes last year. In an effort to plug revenue loss, AAMBIS-Owa party-list Rep. Sharon Garin has filed House Resolution 1542 – calling on the House Ways and Means committee to probe into the smuggling of tobacco products.
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Nigeria: Court Remands Businessman in Prison Over Drug Counterfeiting
A Federal High Court, Lagos would today hear the bail application filed by a Lagos businessman, OlisaemekaOsefor who was remanded in Prison custody last Friday.Osefor was arraigned before Justice James Tsoho by the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on a four-count charge bordering on counterfeit drug deal.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201411110689.html
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Bulgaria set to increase cigarette excise duties in 2016
Bulgaria’s Cabinet approved the timeline for increasing excise duties on cigarettes to meet minimum EU thresholds, with the first hike scheduled for January 1 2016, the government’s media service said on November 11.A 2011 EU directive requires EU member states to increase cigarette excise duties to at least 90 euro (or about 176 leva) for 1000 cigarettes by January 1 2018. Bulgaria uses a combination of fixed and ad valorem rates, which, under current legislation, is required to total no less than 148 leva (about 75.7 euro) for 1000 cigarettes.
http://sofiaglobe.com/2014/11/11/bulgaria-set-to-increase-cigarette-excise-duties-in-2016/
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Illegal circulation of tax-free cigarettes surges in S. Korea
The illegal circulation of tax-free cigarettes on the domestic market has surged since the announcement of a government plan to raise prices.The Korea Customs Service (KCS) said Tuesday that it confiscated a record amount of illegally circulated tax-free cigarettes worth 66.4 billion won ($61 million) in the first half of the year, more than the 43.6 billion won confiscated throughout 2013, according to the KCS.Cigarettes produced for the military and exports are exempt from taxation, but those products are increasingly being funneled into the domestic market as the government moves to revise a law to increase the tobacco tax by 2,000 won per pack. A bill is pending in the National Assembly, with the ruling Saenuri Party throwing its weight behind it.
http://www.koreatimesus.com/illegal-circulation-of-tax-free-cigarettes-surges-in-s-korea/
Lear MoreTurkey seeks to bust vast smuggling racket bringing in meat from Syria: Minister
ISTANBUL – Turkish authorities have launched a major operation aimed at crushing a suspected gang that illegally brought in over 1,000 tons of beef from Syria, the customs minister said, describing the haul as Turkey’s biggest-ever smuggling case.Acting on a tip-off, investigators last week carried out raids on five storage spaces in the southern city of Mersin, where 1,044 tons of smuggled red meat had been stored, Turkish media quoted Customs Minister NurettinCanikli as saying.
Lear MoreESFI Names UL as Recipient of 2014 Safety Award for Excellence
Award Recognizes Company for Efforts in Support of ESFI’s Mission to Reduce Electrically-Related Fatalities, Injuries and Property Loss
The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) has named UL (Underwriters Laboratories) as the recipient of the 2014 Safety Award for Excellence (SAFE), for its efforts in fighting counterfeiting and piracy. The SAFE Award recognizes a company, nonprofit association or other industry-related organization for active and sustained efforts in support of ESFI’s mission to reduce electrically-related fatalities, injuries and property loss.
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Meet The Man Smuggling Prospective ISIS Recruits Across The Turkey-Syria Border
Mohammed Abu Mustafa spends most of his days puffing sweet-smelling tobacco smoke out of a traditional hookah, or waterpipe, in his small café in the Turkish border town of Akçakale.
Sitting at one of the worn-down tables messily assembled outside, Abu Mustafa fixes his eyes on the nearby six-foot-tall chain link fence separating Turkey and Syria. On the other side of this fence is Tel Abyad, a Syrian border town controlled by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. The militant group’s ominous black flag flies high on the Syrian side, easily visible to the residents of Akçakale.
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Smuggling a ‘national disease’
Tin, who was speaking at a forum organised by the Government’s web portal, said staff shortages and outdated equipment had made it difficult for agencies to combat smugglers. However, he promised that stronger efforts would be made. Agencies investigating smugglers have dealt with 146,000 cases so far this year, collecting about VND9 trillion (US$424 million) in tax and VND500 billion ($23.8 million) in confiscated goods, according to a report from the National Steering Committee on Combating Smuggling, Commercial Fraud and Counterfeit Goods.
“We do not have enough people to fight the smugglers,” Tin said. “The staff has been spread too thin across a vast border area. There are thousands and thousands of paths and alleys smugglers can take. Most teams only have three to five members, use outdated cars and equipment.”
http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/society/115681/smuggling-a–national-disease-.html
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