Higher oil tax encourages smuggling
Several groups have expressed concern about the proposal of the Department of Finance to impose higher excise taxes on oil and gas products, saying this could put undue burden on ordinary Filipinos and worse, encourage more smuggling.
According to Finance Secretary Sonny Dominguez, as much as P6 per liter could be levied on diesel and other products like bunker fuel, kerosene and liquefied petroleum gas which are currently exempt from excise taxes. Meanwhile, as much as P10 increase in excise taxes for the first year is being mulled for regular gasoline, aviation fuel, leaded and unleaded premium gasoline and other oil product.
http://www.philstar.com/business/2016/09/01/1619141/higher-oil-tax-encourages-smuggling
Lear MoreHampton Beach shop owners arrested for selling counterfeit goods
HAMPTON – Three Hampton Beach shop owners were arrested Tuesday for selling counterfeit products after Monster Energy conducted a private investigation into the illegal use of the its company’s name.
The owners of Shirt Mania, Shirt Works, T-Shirt City, Shirt Factory, Shirts R Us, Mohab’s Jewelry and Maggie’s, all shops on Ocean Boulevard’s main drag, were arrested for allegedly selling clothing and jewelry with counterfeit Monster Energy images, according to Hampton police. Each shop owner faces one count of dealing counterfeit goods for the number of shops they owned that sold the illegal merchandise.
http://www.seacoastonline.com/news/20160831/hampton-beach-shop-owners-arrested-for-selling-counterfeit-goods
Cypriot Customs Department finds illegal cigarette smuggling ring
An illegal cigarette smuggling ring operating between Greece and Cyprus has been discovered
An illegal cigarette smuggling ring operating between Greece and Cyprus has been discovered, CNA Greek reported on Wednesday.
Cyprus’ Customs Department found illegal cigarettes passing through the mail, and announced that officers had investigated five locations in Nicosia believed to be used as storage units for the products.
Their investigation found 55 boxes containing 200 President Slims Superlights, 50 boxes with 200 Rothmans cigarettes, and 55 boxes that included Murano-branded cigarettes. The cigarettes totaled 5,487 euros in avoided taxes.
Authorities announced that four individuals holding Greek passports had been arrested.
Counterfeiting sure is a big business but is it worth it?
In a country like India where fakes are produced more than originals at times, Counterfeiting is a big business.
As per the International Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition Counterfeiting is a federal and state crime, involving the manufacturing or distribution of goods under someone else’s name, and without their permission. Fake merchandise are usually produced using lower quality segments, trying to offer a shoddy impersonation of comparative products delivered by brands customers know and trust. Fake products range over various commercial ventures including everything from clothing, accessories, music, programming, meds and cigarettes, to vehicles and plane parts, purchaser merchandise, toys and gadgets.
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/technology/in-other-news/300816/counterfeiting-sure-is-a-big-business-but-is-it-worth-it.html
Fined €30,000 for tobacco smuggling
Customs fined a Greek Cypriot man €30,000 for smuggling 277 cartons of cigarettes and 22.7 kilos of tobacco from the Turkish occupied areas in the north of the island.The contraband was seized by police last Saturday, while the man was arrested.
Following an out of court settlement, the man agreed to pay €30,000 and he was released, a written statement said.The cigarettes and tobacco were left in the possession of customs.
The law allows the customs department to impose fines up to three times the value of the cigarettes.Authorities are particularly strict with cigarettes and tobacco coming from the north.
http://cyprus-mail.com/2016/08/30/fined-e30000-tobacco-smuggling/
Excise dept campaigns against alcohol fraud
Alarmed by the increasing rate of alcohol counterfeit in Rajasthan, that had been a less heard of thing in the past, the Excise department has set off a combined enforcement and awareness drive to curb the menace. Authorities who held a massive campaign by raiding at more than 10,000 liquor manufacturing units in less than a month have arrested 608 persons for selling substandard products. Apart from the seizure and raids, the department is also collaborating with the Confederation of Indian Alcohol Beverages Companies (CIABC) which is the apex body for branded segment of wines and spirits, on an awareness drive to ensure prevention of liquor counterfeiting and quality control.
Lear More
Abu Dhabi Customs foils 7,224 smuggling attempts
Thousands of banned substances, foreign currency and counterfeit money and brands seized during the first half of 2016
Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi Customs inspectors foiled thousands of attempts to smuggle illegal substances into the UAE during the first half of 2016, officials said on Monday.
According to the latest customs figures, as many as 7,224 seizures were recorded by customs authorities during the period — an increase of 12.3 per cent over the 6,435 cases in the first half of 2015.
These involved attempts to smuggle illicit drugs, counterfeit goods, alcohol and other drugs requiring prescription, as well as cases involving illegal immigrants, commercial fraud and money smuggling — all which represented the bulk of the work by customs officials, a new customs report reveals.
http://gulfnews.com/news/uae/government/abu-dhabi-customs-foils-7-224-smuggling-attempts-1.1887372
Lear MoreWhat is fake make-up
The key question raised by the letter writer is — how it would be possible to classify make-up as genuine and fake?
Today, we attempt to explain what fake make-up is.
So what is fake make-up?
Fake make-up are not the genuine brands of make-up.
They are counterfeit cosmetics, designed to look like top-name brands to trick thousands of shoppers into buying what seems like a great bargain.
For example, brands such MAC, Revlon, Sephora, Lancome are high-end original make-up which are developed over years of research and expertise.
Everything from the texture, colour, smell and the even the packaging is developed after thorough research.
Any brand that you pick up from the rack in the store will have a distinguish feature that would set it apart from the same product from a different brand on the other rack.
Azerbaijan Customs Committee names smuggled goods
The smuggled goods into Azerbaijan are mainly drugs, tobacco products, alcohol drinks and mobile phones, Chairman of State Customs Committee Aydin Aliyev said.
APA reports that according to him, the biggest threat on the border with Iran is the drug smuggling to Azerbaijan: “During eight months, the customs authorities seized over 1,100 kg of heroin. Every day, a number of citizens attempt to smuggle drugs and psychotropic substances. ”
He added that tobacco product smuggling is observed in all border checkpoints, alcoholic drink smuggling on the border with Georgia and Russia. At the same time, attempt mobile phone smuggling by citizens on the border with Georgia also emerges problem.
http://news.az/articles/economy/112300
Dr Moeti proposes Actions to address Fake Medical Products
Every day, fake medicines and medical products are sold at street corners, in open air markets or on unregulated websites in several countries in the African Region. These poor quality, unsafe medicines and products promote drug resistance and lead to loss of confidence in health professionals, pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors and in health systems.
http://www.einnews.com/pr_news/341145701/dr-moeti-proposes-actions-to-address-fake-medical-products
Lear More