Newcastle’s biggest ever haul of seized illegal cigarettes and alcohol
Newcastle – Sniffer dogs YoYo and Scamp helped officers from Newcastle’s trading standards team search five properties across the city – uncovering 30,000 illegal cigarettes, illegal tobacco, and more than 400 bottles of whisky and vodka.
The bounty with a street value of £15,000 were uncovered by the specially trained sniffer dogs.
A total of 430 bottles of suspected illicit whisky and vodka and 14,000 cigarettes were seized from two shops in the West End along with a further 800 cigarettes from a city centre takeaway.
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/see-newcastles-biggest-ever-haul-10543245
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Four north shields off-licences raided in counterfeit tobacco crackdown
Tyneside – Sharp-nosed dogs helped to sniff out a hidden stash of illegal tobacco across shops in Tyneside. The animals are trained to locate tobacco in hidden concealments, such as in ceiling areas, behind panels and under floorboards.
Based on intelligence received by the team, searches were carried out at four off-licences in the North Shields area. Inside were dozens of packets of Super King and Mayfair cigarettes as well as hand rolling Turner tobacco. The seized items were a mixture of counterfeit products and those that had no duty paid, officials said. The sale of illegal cigarettes costs the public purse billions each year in unpaid duty, not to mention the obvious health risks associated with smoking which will be felt by young people who these items are regularly sold to.
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/four-north-shields-licences-raided-10541043
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Scant evidence EU tobacco deal curbed smuggling
Brussels – According to the Commission, EU member states reported that they seized 4.5 billion cigarettes in 2005, and 3.1 billion in 2013. In a 2013 report to the parliament and national capitals, the commission said that the agreement with Phillip Morris International(PMI), and three others like it with the other big tobacco companies, “have clearly led to a significant reduction in the presence of these companies’ products on the illicit market”.
In 2011, the share of seized cigarettes with “other brands”, i.e. brands from companies that don’t have an agreement with the EU, reached 58 percent.But a decreased share of PMI’s cigarettes in seizures does not automatically mean an absolute decrease in smuggled goods, just as that a rise in police reports does not directly prove an increase in crime.
https://euobserver.com/investigations/131266
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Mirrored in fake imitations
The small hamlet of Aranmula situated on the banks of the Pampa river is known internationally for its unique metal mirror, Aranmula Kannadi. This marvellous piece of ancient metallurgy is now facing threat from fake imitations.
The ancient technology behind it is restricted to a very few families of craftsmen.
But now others are trying their hand in the unique mirror-making process.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/mirrored-in-fake-imitations/article7932025.ece
Lear MoreBulgaria Deputy PM: Counteracting smuggling of excise goods one of govt’s main priorities
Rumyana Bachvarova, Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister for Coalition Policy and Public Administration and Minister of Interior, held a working meeting at the ministry building with representatives of five leading tobacco companies in Bulgaria.
Market research ordered by the five companies was presented at the meeting, the press centre of the ministry announced.
“Counteracting the smuggling of excise goods is one of the main priorities of the government – the motives for that are both of fiscal and general nature,” said Minister Bachvarova, speaking at the event.
Uganda adopts SMS to check fake farm inputs
REAL DEAL: Each year, Uganda loses $1.5 billion of revenue in counterfeit agricultural items, like seeds which experts say will be saved by the E-tag system. KAMPALA, UGANDA – Uganda has tightened the fight against counterfeit and substandard agricultural inputs like seeds, fertilizers, chemicals among other items flooding the Uganda market by launching the E-tag electronic verification system. “Proliferation of substandard agro inputs in the Ugandan market is very high at 30% across the country. This is not only causing economic loss, but also leading to destruction of livelihoods.
“Agriculture being the backbone of Uganda, we cannot afford to lose anymore,” Dr. Ben Manyindo, the Chief Executive Officer, Uganda National Bureau of Standards said, at the launch of the E-tag system last week.
LEBQ? Don’t get caught by these dangerous fake toys this Christmas
WHILE The Force Awakens for Star Wars fans across the globe this Christmas, some children may be in for a stocking full of dangerous counterfeit action figures.
Cashing in on the popularity of major movie franchises, dodgy retailers are flogging cheap rubbish to unsuspecting parents with no regard to safety standards.
In a single afternoon browsing Melbourne’s discount stores news.com.au found them awash with knock off Star Wars, Lego, Avengers, Minecraft, Superman, Pokemon, Nintendo, and Disney products.
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More than 41 tonnes of smuggled tobacco seized
TAG: 41 tonnes smuggled tobacco seized Guardia Civil Spanish cigarettes IVA special taxes laws Jaen Madrid tobacco shops tobacco distribution companies 400 kilos of tobacco rolling tobacco machines for cutting Poland Bangladesh
THE Guardia Civil, in collaboration with the Treasury Ministry, has seized more than 41 tonnes of tobacco in the largest tobacco seizure in Spanish history. The amount of tobacco is estimated to be enough to fill four million packets of cigarettes and has a market value of about €6,640,000.
Eleven members of the organisation have been arrested. They are being charged with smuggling and tax fraud, with the total amount of fraud adding up to €5,500,000 when taking into account IVA, special taxes and customs laws.
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Edgware Road shopkeeper hid huge stash of black market tobacco and cigarettes behind fake wall
An Edgware Road newsagent stashed 97kg of tobacco and 92,000 black market cigarettes behind a fake wall to sell to customers and dodge about £35,000 in tax.Murtaba Alijanabi, 46, was foiled when Westminster City Council and HMRC sent sniffer dogs to his shop, Red Sea.
They found 91,160 cigarettes and nearly 82kg of Shisha tobacco behind the false wall, and returned the next day to find another 1,436 cigarettes and 15kg of tobacco.
Seminar on ‘Curbing Counterfeiting and Smuggling – An Imperative for Indian Economy’, Hyderabad
10/16/2015 | Hyderabad
FICCI CASCADE with a view to engage all relevant stakeholders like government representatives, enforcement agencies, excise and customs, consumer activists, media as well as industry and legal experts; and to sensitize them on the issues of counterfeiting and smuggling organized a seminar in Hyderabad on “Curbing Counterfeiting and Smuggling – An Imperative for Indian Economy” on October 16, 2015. The seminar brought experts from different disciplines of life under one roof to raise the concern over the growing illicit trade and to create large-scale awareness among the impacted segments of the society.
Counterfeit trade has attracted considerable attention among trade associations, government and enterprises. Therefore, to support the cause, the seminar witnessed huge participation of over 80 delegates who were very enthusiastic to fight the menace.
Mr. Devendra Surana, Co-Chairman, FICCI Telangana & Andhra Pradesh State Council & Managing Director, Bhagyanagar India Ltd, welcomed the dignitaries and highlighted the objectives of the seminar like generating awareness, interaction with law enforcement agencies and sharing best practices. He said that the market for smuggled, counterfeits and contraband products was spreading rapidly and was one of the biggest challenges faced by the Indian industry. He further added that knowledge and innovation needed not only be protected but also encouraged.
FICCI CASCADE adviser Mr. P C Jha pointed out that counterfeiting was the biggest scourge impairing the world’s economy at present and it accounted for almost 10% of the current global trade. Mr. Jha discussed the magnitude of the problem and cited that in India the total loss to the government in respect of the seven items, as per a FICCI CASCADE study, had increased steeply from Rs. 26,190 crore to Rs. 39,239 crores. He highlighted the fact that loopholes in the taxation policy encouraged tax evasion leading to smuggling of goods. He also stated that counterfeiting wass the number one crime of 21st century. It stakes brand owner’s reputation, causes loss of revenue to the public exchequer, and poses a serious threat to the security – nationally and internationally.
The seminar also marked the enthusiastic and encouraging support of the Consumer rights activist Mr. Thakur Raj Kumar Singh, Chairperson & Managing Trustee, Human Rights & Consumer Protection Cell. Mr. Singh emphasized on the role of organizations like FICCI and appealed to the industry to help protect the “Consumer”. He underlined the fact that consumers were the ultimate victims of counterfeiting and smuggling, and their rights were being violated by counterfeiters and smugglers. He stressed on strengthening the penal provision to instill fear in counterfeiters and smugglers to curb the menace.
Mr Deep Chand, Adviser FICCI CASCADE and former Special Police Commissioner, Delhi Police, pointed out that the problem of counterfeiting and smuggling needed consumer support and active involvement towards the cause. Healso stressed on the need for registering complaints with the police and customs. Mr. Chand stated that the laws were adequate but the need was to put this evil as the priority agenda of the government while enforcing laws and regulations. He also said that problem of counterfeiting and smuggling gave rise to unscrupulous and anti-social elements in the society, creating a major security threat to the nation. Mr. Deep Chand emphasized on awareness among the stakeholders as a very important aspect in the enforcement of laws and appreciated FICCI CASCADE for its move to make a dent in this vast field which has remained unexplored so far.
Mr. Sunil Jain, Commissioner of Customs, Central Excise and Service Tax, Hyderabad Zone said that counterfeiting and smuggling continued to thrive globally due to the consumers’ propensity to acquire branded products at low cost, while the lack of awareness of the attached hazards added to this menace. Mr. Jain said that the role of customs has become more challenging with the growing sophistication in the manufacturing of counterfeit products. He invited the growing cooperation of the right holders to help the customs authorities for better management of the problem.
Mr. Srinivas Reddy, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Telangana expressed his concern towards the growing level of illicit trade and said that the problem could not be neglected. He also stated that smuggling, counterfeiting and other such illicit practices surreptitiously cascaded into national security issues like trade in narcotics, money laundering and terrorism. He cautioned the audience that our nation’s economic security was at stake and illicit economic activities were damaging the country’s economic vitality.
The subject of counterfeiting and smuggling is very vast and complex and there is a need to target and educate the masses to buy genuine products. The seminar witnessed vigorous interactions with delegates demonstrating an active interest in the issue. The seminar ended with a common view that the problem of counterfeiting and smuggling was multifaceted and complex and needed to be discussed time and again, with government, to emphasize on effective and adequate laws and enforcement; increasing engagement with the industry and, most importantly, creating awareness in the society to curb the menace of counterfeiting and smuggling.
