Drones pose new contraband, smuggling challenge for prisons
Wily inmates and their associates on the outside are deploying drones to deliver drugs, cellphones, and other contraband to prison yards, leaving prison guards and correctional authorities trying to decide how to deal with the new technology.After smuggling incidents around prisons in Maryland, Ohio and Oklahoma, Illinois lawmakers are proposing legislation to penalize the activity, even though the state has yet to see an incident on its own turf. Wisconsin and Michigan also have pending legislation to criminalize the use of drones over prisons.
he idea for the Illinois measure came from the state’s Department of Corrections. While drones haven’t been a problem yet, the department “is taking a proactive approach to ensure it does not” become one, spokeswoman Nicole Wilson said.
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EU tobacco deal needs thorough update if renewed
A lot has happened since 9 July 2004, when the European Commission signed what it called a landmark agreement with tobacco multinational Philip Morris International (PMI) to become partners in the fight against cigarette smuggling and counterfeiting.
That’s why Florence Berteletti, director of Brussels-based anti-tobacco lobby group Smoke Free Partnership, is against a renewal of the agreement after its expiry date this year.
“We were not opposed to the agreement at the time, but the world has changed enormously,” Berteletti told this website.
“The agreement is an instrument of the past.”
https://euobserver.com/economic/132255
Lear MoreLocal view: Taxing our way to higher crime
Sen. Mike Gloor wants to see Nebraska hike the excise tax on cigarettes by more than 234 percent, from 64 cents to $2.14. The senator’s intentions may be good but the Cornhusker State risks a massive increase in cigarette smuggling and other harmful consequences if this bill is adopted.
Smuggling may be as old as civilization and taxes. People have made a living — or at least supplemented their incomes — by covertly moving goods across borders, often to avoid a tax or import duty. Cigarettes are a popular item to smuggle because they are lightweight (and therefore easily transportable) and it is possible to make massive profits by shipping smokes even short distances.
Obama to Sign Bill Combating Counterfeit Chips
SAN FRANCISCO—U.S. President Barak Obama indicated Thursday (Feb. 11) that he will sign into law a customs bill passed by the U.S. Senate that includes a provision to combat counterfeit semiconductors.The bill, known as the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015 (H.R. 644/S.1269), mandates that U.S. Customs and Border Protection share information and samples of suspected counterfeit parts for rapid identification of counterfeits.
http://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1328931
Lear MoreLeading brands highly vulnerable to online fakes this Valentine’s Day
Ahead of this year’s Valentine’s Day, NetNames, the leading online brand protection specialist, has today warned that leading brands, such as Ralph Lauren, PacoRobanne and Coco Chanel, are being targeted by online counterfeiters.
Perfume is the gift of choice for many couples celebrating Valentine’s Day, and brands must be vigilant about fake products being sold in their name online. Highlighting the extent of this threat, NetNames has identified large quantities of suspected fake perfumes available for purchase on marketplace sites in the UK such as eBay and Gumtree, in the run up to Valentine’s Day.
Counterfeit beauty products have become a growing problem. Thousands of counterfeit labels and packaging are available for fraudsters to purchase from as little as 50 pence online from marketplace sites such as Alibaba and Make Polo.
Tobacco Smuggling: Smoking the Taxes Away
More than 33 million packs of illicit cigarettes have been confiscated in the Greek and Cypriot customs at the end of January by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and the General Secretariat against corruption (AFCOS Greece). The two organizations collaborated in order to achieve a strong hit against tobacco smuggling, a plague that yields more damage to the economy than someone would think. In addition, almost 21 million packs of cigarettes were confiscated in the Pireaus port, resulting in 54 million packs of confiscated cigarettes in Greece.
Beedi workers seek viable alternative before anti-tobacco policy is adopted
The Association of Trade Unions, an umbrella organisation of various trade unions fighting for the rights of beedi workers, on Tuesday urged the Union government to protect the livelihood of over 1.3 crore people as they are dependent on the beedi industry before adopting any anti-tobacco policy.Comprising representatives from All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), BharatiyaMazdoorSangh (BMS), Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS) and BeediContractors Union, the association also announced a Delhi Chalo, if the demands are not met by the Union government.
Balakrishna Shetty, president of CITU, Dakshina Kannada, told presspersons here on Tuesday that the Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment should intervene in the matter against “extreme threat to livelihoods being felt by over 1.3 crore beedi workers, in the wake of unfriendly and unproven anti-tobacco policies of the government”.
Liberal MP gives Rolex a hand following fake gift watches story
Backbencher mocked for effusive praise of watchmaker in press release detailing how he bought timepiece to reward himself for all his hard work.
An Australian politician has issued a timeless press release gushing about his Rolex watch in the wake of news that a group of Liberal MPs thought they had received fake versions of the signature timepieces from a Chinese instant noodle billionaire.
In that instance, Tony Abbott among others, assumed they were fakes, but Liberal backbencher Ian Goodenough has stepped in to praise the real thing, which he bought after “after learning of the brand’s history and commitment to achieving the best time piece product possible”.
Two million smuggled cigarettes seized at Dublin Port
Revenue officers, acting on intelligence, commenced an examination of a shipping container that had come into Dublin Port from Vietnam, via Rotterdam, and discovered the cigarettes. The contraband was branded ‘JIM’ and were described as ‘wood pellets’ on the manifest.
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BlockchainStartups Take Aim at Counterfeiting of Luxury Products
The cryptocurrency industry has delivered new technology to the world of luxury commerce, and it’s helping weed out the fakes. It may seem like a frivolous concern, but counterfeit goods are big business. Stopping them is a significant business cost for manufacturers of the real thing. And for consumers who pride themselves on owning luxury goods, getting the real thing is essential to a way of life. That’s where Bitcoin comes in.
“By linking digital certificates to purchased goods, we are able to provide a much higher degree of confidence to buyers, especially when purchasing from online or second-hand retailers,” says Guy Halford-Thompson, founder of Blockchain Tech Ltd.