Decline in smuggled counterfeits, Dubai Customs says
Dubai: The smuggling of counterfeit goods has dropped by almost 58 per cent between 2014 and 2015, according to the latest figures provided by Customs officials.
In contrast to 306 seizures of intellectual property-infringing goods by Dubai Customs in 2014, official figures showed that only 126 seizures were made in Dubai between January and November 2015, the Dubai Customs Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Department said.
Yousuf Ozair Mubarak, director of IPR department at Dubai Customs, said that the counterfeit goods seized covered a wide range of products from clothes, mobile phones and accessories to cigarettes and auto spare parts.
“The estimated value of seizures of counterfeit goods was Dh14.85 mil
http://gulfnews.com/news/uae/society/decline-in-smuggled-counterfeits-dubai-customs-says-1.1656085
Lear MoreGlobal Anti-Counterfeit Packaging Market Set to Grow at a CAGR of over 15% by 2020, Says Technavio
Technavio analysts forecast the global anti-counterfeit packaging market to reach around USD 134 billion by 2020, according to their latest report.
The report explains the main growth drivers of the anti-counterfeit packaging market, including the rising need for traceability systems and the increasing demand for anti-counterfeit packaging from emerging nations. “Counterfeiting has become a matter of concern for all businesses globally. As per the data provided by the World Customs Organization and the International Chamber of Commerce, 5-9% of the annual global trade is accounted for by counterfeit goods and products. Counterfeit packaging has become a common problem, posing many challenges to businesses, especially to companies operating in the F&B, pharmaceutical, and consumer goods industries,” explains Technavio’s lead research analyst, Sharan Raj M.
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Health warning: Pills you take may be fake
A 60-year-old Jiaxing man paid a company 280,000 yuan (US$42,607) to purchase medicine purported to improve health, even though his family warned him that the products might be fake.
The man didn’t believe the warning until two Jiaxing policemen, disguised as applicants for jobs in the company, gathered the evidence to expose the scam. The company turned out to be fraudulent, bilking unwary consumers of more than 2 million yuan across China. The purported “medicine,” sold at 1,900 yuan per box, turned out to have a value of only a few yuan.
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/hangzhou/Health-warning-Pills-you-take-may-be-fake/shdaily.shtml
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Iran’s lawmakers criticize custom services over smuggling goods, arms
An Iranian lawmaker has said that some people smuggle arms and alcoholic beverages from Iraq to Iran using fuel tankers.
Abrolreza Mesri has said that the fuel tankers which carry illegal equipment continue crossing the Iranian borders, Mehr news agency reported Jan. 16.
“The fuel products are imported from Iraq and it is unclear who issues permit for importing the fuel products. Arms and alcoholic beverages are carried by the tankers,” Mesri added.
“It is unclear who is benefited from the fuel tankers that even ministers are unable to encounter them,” he added.
http://www.azernews.az/region/91761.html
Lear MorePPP for consumer awareness
Union Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan being welcome to the regional conference of the Consumer Affairs Departments of Southern States, in Bengaluru on Saturday. Consumer Protection Authority to initiate a strong consumer protection regime, the Union government is working on stringent consumer laws encompassing a product liability clause. State Food and Civil Supplies Minister Dinesh Gundurao looks on.To protect consumers from misleading advertisements and sale of fake products, the Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs is now focussing on creating consumer awareness through a public-private partnership (PPP) initiative. Announcing this decision here on Saturday, Union Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said that the Union government has also discussed with companies, the possibility of setting aside a part of their Corporate Social Responsibility fund to create consumer awareness, especially in rural areas.
http://www.nyoooz.com/bengaluru/322640/ppp-for-consumer-awareness
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Smugglers modify trucks to hide contraband tobacco
CORNWALL, Ontario – Smugglers are using creative ways to avoid getting busted by the Cornwall Regional Task Force. A 25-year-old Cornwall man was arrested on Dec. 20 at the Canada Border Service Agency (CBSA) port of entry in the City of Cornwall after officers found 171 cartons of contraband cigarettes inside a false compartment in the driver’s 2001 Dodge Ram truck. Two Akwesasne men were also arrested at the POE on Dec. 29 after officers discovered that the box of their pickup truck was on hinges. Inside they found 350 cartons of contraband tobacco.
E-commerce Firms Will Be Told to Check Counterfeiting
NEW DELHI: The activities of selling counterfeit products on e-commerce platforms are posing a real threat to the country’s economy. Expressing concern over sale of fake products on the e-commerce platform, the Central Board of Excise and Customs on Friday said it is considering putting in place a voluntary code of practice for e-retailers to curb illicit trade.
Najib Shah, chairman, CBEC said, “New challenges are emerging for customs. E-commerce is one such major area of vulnerability. E-commerce in India provides an unparalleled platform for sellers of both genuine and counterfeit products. So, we are looking at possibility of introducing voluntary code of practice for e-retailers.”
Vietnam police break up racket smuggling cigarettes made in foreign countries
Police in Hanoi have busted a ring that smuggled cigarettes and cigars worth billions of dong (VND1 billion = US$44,570), arresting several suspects, officers announced on Thursday afternoon.
Officers from the anti-smuggling force under the Hanoi Department of Police inspected Tran Quoc Dung, 22, who was transporting a shipment containing 400 packs of foreign-made Sobranie cigarettes without any certificate of origin.
International Conference on Illicit Trade – Threat to National Security and Economy, New Delhi
15/1/2016 | New Delhi
FICCI CASCADE organized its 2nd edition of the International Conference on Illicit Trade – Threat to National Security and Economy on January 15, 2016 in New Delhi. The conference was organized to facilitate a dialogue between the stakeholders on the alarming magnitude of unfair trade practices such as counterfeiting and smuggling and spread awareness about its adverse socio-economic impact. The international conference highlighted and deliberated on issues such as Countering illicit market operations – synergies to secure our future; Challenges in the E-commerce Market Place; Border Protection: International Cooperation in Enforcement; and Understanding the value of legal trade practices – Building global competitiveness through Buy ‘Make in India’.
The Conference was inaugurated by Shri Ram Vilas Paswan, Hon’ble Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution. Hon’ble Minister in his address emphasized that we have, over the years, initiated several mechanisms to ensure consumer safety and check unfair trade practices; we must therefore empower consumers to seek discontinuance of such practices. We have to check and substantially reduce the illicit market operations to create a conducive environment for growth and development.
The conference saw a host of notable international speakers from World Intellectual Property Organization, (WIPO), U.S Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), Delegation of the European Union to India, Beiersdorf, Sweetyet Development Ltd, Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations, USA etc. It was also addressed by notable senior government officials such as Mr. Najib Shah, Chairman, Central Board of Excise and Customs, Mr. Rajiv Aggarwal, Joint Secretary, Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India; Mr. Aramane Sai Manohar, IPS, DIG, International Police Cooperation, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), India; Dr. A P Maheshwari, IPS, ADG Logistics, Border Security Force (BSF) and Mr. Mangesh Kashyap, IPS, Deputy Commissioner, Economic Offences Wing (EOW), Delhi Police.
On the occasion, FICCI CASCADE released a joint publication with Grant Thornton on ‘Emerging Challenges to Legitimate Business in the Borderless World’.
Anti-smuggling drive in Davao City lauded
A TOP official of the Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI) lauded the City Government of Davao for its relentless efforts against smuggling that led to the confiscation of some P12.6 million worth of fake cigarettes in what seemed to be the biggest enforcement raid ever in the “country’s history” involving tobacco products conducted on December 3 to 4, 2015.
In his letter to City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, Jesus Lim Arranza, chair of FPI and Fight Illicit Trade Coalition, cited the city as a model for safety and compliance with laws and regulations.
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/local-news/2016/01/14/anti-smuggling-drive-davao-city-lauded-451816
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