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Cigarette smuggler who jumped bail gets 5 years’ jail

Singapore – A key member of a contraband cigarette smuggling syndicate has been sentenced to five years in jail for his involvement in two smuggling cases. Customs officers raided a warehouse at Loyang Crescent the following day and seized more than 2,999 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes, which were hidden in modified bed headboards imported into Singapore from Batam. The duty and GST evaded amounted to more than S$309,000.

Under the Customs Act and the GST Act, those convicted of buying, selling, conveying, delivering, storing, keeping, possessing or dealing with duty-unpaid goods are liable to a fine of up to 40 times the amount of duty and GST evaded, or imprisonment for up to six years, or both.

Alibaba Warned by U.S. to Combat Sales of Counterfeit Products

Alibaba Holding Group Ltd. has to do a better job of fighting the sale of counterfeit goods and pirated materials on its e-commerce websites if it wishes to remain off the U.S. government’s annual “Notorious Markets List,” according to a warning Thursday from the U.S. Office of the Trade Representative. While the federal agency stopped short of putting Alibaba on the registry, it issued a stern warning that the company’s efforts to fight piracy and respond to complaints would be monitored in the coming year for signs of improvement.
The office of the trade representative called for Alibaba to simplify the process for stakeholders to lodge complaints and request enforcement action, make procedures to remove counterfeit products readily available and reduce the timelines for removing counterfeit goods and levying fines against sellers.
 

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-12-17/u-s-warns-alibaba-to-clean-up-sales-of-counterfeit-goods

Candle Light Congregation – Fight against Smuggling and Counterfeiting, Bangalore

18/12/2015 | Bangalore

‘Counterfeits and smuggled goods are threatening the key elements of India’s growth strategy vis-à-vis technology, invention and innovation which are the key elements in India’s economic developmental agenda’. This was highlighted at the candle light congregation organized by FICCI CASCADE in Bengaluru. It was emphasized that activities involving such illicit trade curbed the country’s economic independence. As a part of its series of nation-wide awareness campaigns to highlight the issue of growing menace of counterfeiting and smuggling, FICCI CASCADE (Committee against Smuggling & Counterfeiting Activities Destroying the Economy), organized a candle light congregation at Jain College on December 18, 2015. Over 200 students with candles in their hand and banners stating ‘Buy Make in India’ and ‘Say No to Smuggled Goods’ participated in this congregation with much zest and zeal. This congregation urged all to take a pledge against using fake products and to fight the menace of smuggling which was in the larger interest of the nation’s economy.

Mr. P C Jha, Advisor, FICCI CASCADE & former Chairman, CBEC stated that according to a recently released FICCI CASCADE study,the total loss to the government estimated for 2014, on account of the illicit markets in respect of seven manufacturing sectors was Rs 39,239 crores. Further, during the last twenty years, the volume of the counterfeiting activity has increased 100 times and the size of trade in counterfeited goods is 10% of the legal international trade.He observed that the need for awarenessof consumers,particularly the youth, on illicit trade practices as vital. Mr. Jha also emphasized that purchases, as far as possible, should be done against bills.

Mr. Deep Chand, Advisor, FICCI CASCADE and former Special Commissioner, Delhi Police, stated that the Indian Government had initiated various steps to address counterfeiting, piracy and smuggling. Despite these actions, a study by FICCI CASCADE reveals that counterfeiting and smuggling rates are still very high. Mr. Chand said that illicit trade such as counterfeiting and smuggling was an economic offence, created a black market or underground economy, in which goods and services were traded illegally. Consumer participation at large in the fight against counterfeiting and smuggling is crucial to determine the growing circulation of such goods.

Smuggled Cigarettes Worth Over Rs 15 Lakh Seized

Meghalaya – The officers of Customs Headquarters, Preventive Unit, Shillong have seized 40 cartons of “Ruili River” brand filter cigarettes worth Rs 15.97 lakh, manufactured by Myanmar Cigarette Factory from the Booking Counter of Kamakhya Railway Station, Guwahati on December 14.The consignment was mis-declared as “damaged tobacco product”.

The smugglers of foreign cigarettes use courier agencies, railways and passenger buses to transport such contraband to different parts of the country.

As per an earlier report, Assam and Meghalaya were incurring revenue losses to the tune of Rs 700 crore every year due to illegal trade of cigarettes, which are manufactured locally as well as smuggled from neighbouring countries.Besides, it was reported that almost 23 crore illegal tax-evaded cigarette sticks are sold in these two states every month.

http://www.northeasttoday.in/smuggled-cigarettes-worth-over-rs-15-lakh-seized-meghalaya/

Interactive Session on Illicit Trade – A Threat to our National Interest-Bangalore, Bengaluru

In order to highlight the magnitude of illicit trade activities like counterfeiting and smuggling, FICCI CASCADE also organized an Interactive Session with media on ‘Illicit Trade – A Threat to our National Interest’, on 17 December, 2015 in Bengaluru. Mr. M. Chandra Sekhar, Joint Commissioner of Police, Crime, Bengaluru was the key speaker at the press conference. Mr. Sekhar stated that India is one of the largest economy in the worlds which is prone to the threat of counterfeiting and smuggling. The police would play a very important role here as economic frauds need to be addressed at all the levels by the police department. Additionally he emphasized that unless we cut the proceeds of crime, our fight against smuggling and counterfeiting will not come to a logical conclusion. Some of the key take ways from the suggestions made by Mr. Chandra Sekhar are as follows:
1.      Need for a nation-wide database for such economic crimes and criminals
2.      Time bound legislative process
3.      Greater awareness campaigns for consumers with active participation from industry
4.      Reward policy for both the informant and the enforcement agencies reporting on illicit trade
activities through PPP initiatives
5.      Special units / courts to address economic offences
The interactive session was well attended and covered by the media

Fake make-up ruined my face

Shockingly, in May, police said more than 5,000 websites selling counterfeit “luxury” goods had been shut down over an 18-month period. This makes it more important than ever for shoppers to know exactly what they’re filling their loved ones’ stockings with.

Selling fake products online is fraud and is illegal. But in recent years, there’s been a huge rise in the number of criminal gangs recreating unsafe copies of branded products. Some bogus cosmetics contain up to 19 times the legal levels of lead.

It is so dangerous, that police have issued a national alert. 

Police bust alleged illicit tobacco importation gang

Melbourne – Police have seized more than $8 million of assets after busting an alleged illicit tobacco importation gang. The cigarettes, and 44.5kg of molasses tobacco, was imported into Melbourne by air. The consignment was declared as printer and mobile phone accessories. ACC acting Executive Director Operations, Col Blanch, said organised crime is entrenched within the illicit tobacco market in Australia. “Organised criminals perceive the illicit tobacco market to be a low risk, high profit enterprise. However, this investigation demonstrates that the risk is increasing,” Mr Blanch said.