Extraordinary attack on Sydney tobacco executive
It’s been revealed an Australian tobacco executive has been bashed and stabbed in attempted kidnap. It’s believed crime syndicates may have started to hit back at efforts to combat the illicit tobacco trade.
The executive was attacked at his Sydney home and told to get in a car. But he fought back.
US seizes more than 3000 counterfeit items
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement Offices have seized more than 3000 counterfeit items including footwear and clothing during the execution of four state search warrants in northern Indiana. The merchandise included shoes, purses various clothing items and other luxury accessories were found to be imitations of name-brands including Nike, Air Jordan, Michael Kors, Timberland, North Face and Polo.
No arrests were made at the time the search warrants were executed by the Indiana State Excise Police with the assistance from the South Bend Police Department’s Violent Crime Impact Unit and ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
http://www.just-style.com/news/us-seizes-more-than-3000-counterfeit-items_id128565.aspx
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Crackdown by Hong Kong customs nets illegal cigarettes worth HK$57 million.
Contraband cigarettes worth more than HK$57 million have been confiscated by Hong Kong Customs in 12 cases of tobacco smuggling from the mainland so far this year, a customs official said on Wednesday. The HK$7.3 million haul was discovered when officers intercepted a Hong Kong-bound container truck at Man Kam To Immigration Control Point. The import document claimed it carried more than 800 cartons of assorted goods such as metalware and clothes. Meanwhile, customs officers mounted a city-wide operation against illegal cigarettes over the past two weeks.
During the operation, 47 suspected tobacco traffickers and buyers, aged from 14 to 82, had been rounded up with the seizure of HK$150,000 worth of contraband cigarettes recovered.
Trader sold fake England World Cup shirts and Ray-Ban sunglasses.
Boyd Talbot, aged 32, was also ordered to pay back £16,250 within three months following a Proceeds of Crime investigation – or face nine months in jail.
In May 2014, two properties associated with Talbot, of Oldbury Street, Wednesbury, were raided by Sandwell Council Trading Standards and West Midlands Police officers after a probe found he was selling counterfeit goods through Facebook and eBay.
Beware: Buying fake products is dangerous
Genuine products have gained the name and fame among the consumers worldwide. But for these trade brands, reaching the pinnacle of popularity is not as easy as one might think, but after enormous efforts by its owners, according to Mashhoor Al Shamsi, Senior Manager of Intellectual Property Issues and Trade Agencies. When a customer buys duplicate product and when they identify it was different from the original one, they start distrusting the product and will refrain from buying it next time,’ he added.
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/nation/general/beware-buying-fake-products-is-dangerous
Lear MoreCustoms agency nails 7 cigarette smugglers
South Korea’s customs authorities said Tuesday they have arrested or indicted seven men for smuggling in cigarettes worth 6.4 billion won ($5.8 million).
Four suspects allegedly imported some 800,000 packs of Korean-made cigarettes worth 3.5 billion won from the Philippines through Busan seaport and reported them as wooden chairs after stealing them from a bonded warehouse between November 2014 and March 2016, according to the Korea Customs Service.
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2016/08/116_211451.html
Lear MoreASPA & MFI Join Hands to Host First International Authentication Conference in India
Spurred by rising cases of infringements, adulteration, foray of counterfeit products in India, Authentication Solutions Providers Association (ASPA) has joined hands with Messe Frankfurt India (MFI) to host first international authentication conference “THE AUTHENTICTAION FORUM” in the country. This novel endeavor aims to raise awareness and bring together all stakeholders at a platform forum to analyze the problem of counterfeiting and provide the solutions to combat this menace.
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Customs agency nails 7 cigarette smugglers
South Korea’s customs authorities said Tuesday they have arrested or indicted seven men for smuggling in cigarettes worth 6.4 billion won (US$5.8 million). Four suspects allegedly imported some 800,000 packs of Korean-made cigarettes worth 3.5 billion won from the Philippines through Busan seaport and reported them as wooden chairs after stealing them from a bonded warehouse between November 2014 and March 2016, according to the Korea Customs Service. Three were accused of smuggling 500,000 packages of British tobacco from the United Arab Emirates into South Korea by disguising them as plastic toolboxes and then exporting them to a third country. One suspect allegedly smuggled 40,000 packs of South Korean cigarettes. The agency has caught 239 cases of smuggling through June this year, involving 6.7 billion won worth of cigarettes.The South Korean government raised the price of cigarettes to 4,000-4,500 won per pack from 2,500 won for public health reasons and to increase tax revenue.
http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/business/2016/08/09/0501000000AEN20160809005600320.html
Lear MoreMore than 1.4 million illegal cigarettes seized in tobaccoraids
More than 1.4 million counterfeit and illicit cigarettes have been seized by specialist tobacco sniffer dogs in a campaign across 14 local trading standards areas across Central England.
The campaign, which also saw 515 kg of hand-rolling tobacco and 1.7 tons of niche tobacco seized, was run by council teams in the Central England Trading Standards Authorities (CEnTSA).
The goods were seized in the last financial year (2015/16) with a loss of duty to the government around £30,000. The total retail value of the illegal goods is estimated to be worth in excess of £1 million. In addition, some shops had their alcohol licences suspended or revoked for dealing with counterfeit and illicit tobacco products.
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Brit caught smuggling
A British national who attempted to smuggle tobacco and cigarettes from the north was on Tuesday hit with a hefty fine after having the duty free products seized.
Customs officers manning the checkpoint in Ledra street stopped the man, who was carrying ten kilos of rolling tobacco and 13 cartons of cigarettes, on none of which had the duty been paid.
The man was arrested for customs offences and the products were confiscated as liable to forfeiture. The total import duty and taxes attributable to the tobacco amounted to €2,088 and to the cigarettes €456.
http://cyprus-mail.com/2016/08/09/brit-caught-smuggling/
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