CBP finds more than $171,000 hidden in truck in El Paso border cash smuggling attempt.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized a cash shipment of $171,992 heading to Mexico at the Zaragoza Bridge in El Paso.
A photo released by CBP showed stacks of bills in denominations of $100, $50, $20 and a few $10, $5 and $1 bills.
The cash was found the evening of July 13 when CBP officers checking traffic heading to Mexico inspected a Chevrolet Silverado, officials said.
During the inspection, CBP officers found nine bundles of cash hidden in the dashboard. The undeclared currency was seized from a 23-year-old man, a U.S. citizen, who was driving the truck, officials said.
Travelers can carry any amount of cash across the border. But if the amount is more than $10,000, it must be reported to CBP. The unreported money can be seized and the person arrested for failing to declare the currency.
Lear MoreMiddle East/North African Authorities Seize Fake Medical Products
Amid a global surge for medical supplies caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, an Interpol-coordinated operation across the Middle East and North Africa seized thousands of counterfeit medical masks and drugs.
Between February and April, authorities from Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Qatar and Saudi Arabia carried out inspections on their land, water and air borders, targeting pharmaceutical crimes.
This led to the seizure of 61,000 respiratory masks, 63,418 face masks and 85,000 other medical products such as gloves, thermometers, medical glasses, in addition to a variety of illicit medicine ranging from antimalarial drugs to sexual stimulants.
Interpol estimated the worth of the goods seized to US$14 million.
“The volume of illicit medicines and counterfeit medical products seized during this operation is a reminder of the extent of this global problem and the very real risk to public safety,” Paul Stanfield, Interpol Director for Organized and Emerging Crime, stressed.
Lear MorePolice seize fake COVID kits in international trafficking crackdown
Police have seized 17,000 fake COVID-19 testing kits discovered in raids against illicit food and drink products across dozens of countries, Interpol said Wednesday.
Officials seized $40 million (34.5 million euros) worth of fake or substandard products in 77 countries, and arrested 407 people in the operation, carried out from December 2019 to June 2020.
The products included contaminated dairy products, meat from illegally slaughtered animals and food products falsely labelled as medicinal cures, said Interpol, based in the southeastern French city of Lyon.
But police also intercepted thousands of fake medical products as countries worldwide rushed to secure supplies while locking down to curtail the coronavirus pandemic.
“As countries around the world continue their efforts to contain COVID-19, the criminal networks distributing these potentially dangerous products show only their determination to make a profit,” the agency’s secretary general Jurgen Stock said in a statement.
Lear More
Bangkok police seize fake drugs, cosmetics, supplements in factory raid
Police and officers of the Food and Drug Administration seized 119 items made using hazardous substances and sporting fake labels in a raid on an illegal factory near Bangkok’s Pratunam intersection. The products were valued at 200,000 baht. The FDA reported the production of illegal healthcare products, which led police to Tofu Skincare based in the capitol’s Ratchathewi district.
The confiscated goods included 58 drugs, 14 cosmetics and 47 dietary supplements, and the company stands charged with violating the Medicine Act, Herbal Products Act, Cosmetic Act and Food Act.
The FDA’s deputy secretary-general says the products came from different countries and were sold under different brands, such as Moh Yan Hee cream, which contained the illegal substance Hyrodquinone, while other products sold under the names of Idol Slim Apple, Idol Slim Coffee, Idol Slim Plus and Idol Berry Plus carried the dangerous chemical Sibutramine. They were also being sold under false labels. He says the investigation will continue.
“Moh Yan Hee cream was first seized in 2018, but the production of this product and other hazardous products has not stopped.”
Lear More
Fake COVID testing kits seized from 77 countries in international trafficking crackdown
Police have seized 17,000 fake COVID-19 testing kits discovered in raids against illicit food and drink products across dozens of countries, Interpol said Wednesday.
Officials seized $40 million (34.5 million euros) worth of fake or substandard products in 77 countries, and arrested 407 people in the operation, carried out from December 2019 to June 2020.
The products included contaminated dairy products, meat from illegally slaughtered animals and food products falsely labelled as medicinal cures, said Interpol, based in the southeastern French city of Lyon.
But police also intercepted thousands of fake medical products as countries worldwide rushed to secure supplies while locking down to curtail the coronavirus pandemic.
“As countries around the world continue their efforts to contain COVID-19, the criminal networks distributing these potentially dangerous products show only their determination to make a profit,” the agency’s secretary general Jurgen Stock said in a statement.
Lear More
Over P107M worth of smuggled cigarettes seized at Port of Davao
MANILA, Philippines — Smuggled cigarettes amounting to more than P107 million were seized at the Port of Davao, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) reported Tuesday.
In coordination with authorities from the BOC Intelligence Group (IG) and Enforcement Group, the BOC-Port of Davao seized four 40-footer containers that contained illegally imported cigarettes valued at Php 107,414,676.74.
Citing intelligence reports, BOC said the first two containers arrived at the Davao International Container Terminal (DICT) on July 10 and were said to contain 2,180 boxes of brand-new tissue papers.
However, subsequent information received from IG and EG led to the issuance of a Pre-Lodgment Control Order (PLCO) after discovering that no goods declaration was lodged by the consignee, Golden Aark Enterprises, and that there could be possible misdeclaration of the said commodity, BOC said.
The containers were subsequently inspected and yielded misdeclaration of goods as 1,205 boxes Astro Branded Cigarettes and 942 boxes of YS filter cigarettes were discovered and seized on July 14.
Lear More230 kg gold smuggled through diplomatic channel
Investigations by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) have revealed that the Swapna-Sarith-Faisal gang had smuggled 230 kg of gold from Dubai through the diplomatic channel.
Of this, only one consignment of 30kg was intercepted, while the investigators are in pursuit of the rest.
In fact, before the clandestine plan was put into operation, the gang had sent a dummy bag in the name of the UAE consulate to see that everything worked smoothly.
The Dubai mastermind, Faisal Fareed, is already in the custody of the Dubai Police and is expected to be handed over to India any time soon.
The investigators have inspected the flat of the attache at the UAE consulate, who has returned to his country, in search of clues. They are trying to ascertain if the suspects had visited the house and have checked the visitor’s register there.
The investigators are also looking at the role of ground handling agencies at the airports in abetting the crime. An ex-employee of Air India Sats, in charge of ground handling, claimed that all the smugglers, with assistance from higher authorities, had planted pliable people in sensitive departments in the airport so that they could smoothly manage the racket.
https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/230-kg-gold-smuggled-through-diplomatic-channel
Lear More
Two more financiers of gold smuggling held
KOCHI: The Customs on Friday arrested two more persons who allegedly funded the purchase of 30kg of gold which was smuggled in a diplomatic baggage from the UAE that arrived at the Thiruvananthapuram airport. They are Aboobacker Pazedath, 60, of Pezhadath House at Pazhamallur near Koottilangadi in Malappuram and Abdul Hameed P M, 54, of Padikkamannil House at Koottilangadi. Four suspected financiers were arrested in the last two days.
According to Customs officials, both were summoned to the office following a statement given by Said Alavi, another accused, and their arrests were recorded after interrogation. Both were produced before the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (Economic Offence) Court and remanded. “Both persons were active smugglers in 1980-1990. They themselves had smuggled gold and foreign goods. After they were caught by the Customs, they stopped the illegal activity and started running small-scale businesses in their native places,” a Customs official said. Following the financial crisis due to the lockdown, they invested money in gold smuggling recently. “Both have invested more than Rs 1 crore. They were expecting double the amount once the gold reached the end buyers,” an officer said.
Lear More
Counterfeit crackdown nets $242M in fake products
Shanghai police have a message for would-be operators selling bogus goods — sooner or later, you will be caught.
Police reportedly seized copycat products worth more than 1.7 billion yuan (US$242 million) this year, destroying some 240 dens that produce, store or sell counterfeit items, The Global Times reported.
During a special campaign focusing on cracking down on intellectual property (IP) violations codenamed “Kunlun 2020,” police in Shanghai said they have solved more than 230 related cases, and protected the legitimate rights and interests of more than 60 brands, China Central Television (CCTV) reported.
One of the latest cases involved counterfeit bags of famous brands such as Victoria’s Secret and Chanel worth more than 50 million yuan, Global Times reported
Shanghai police have arrested and charged nine suspects, responsible for making the bags and selling them through online stores, said CCTV.
https://asiatimes.com/2020/07/counterfeit-crackdown-nets-242m-in-fake-products/
Lear More
Fake injections racket busted in Gujarat
Gujarat’s Food and Drugs Control Administration on Saturday unearthed a racket of selling fake and spurious Tocilizumab injections in Surat and Ahmedabad.
The FDCA busted the racket about a week after another racket of selling life saving injections at a high rate was unearthed in the state.
Four persons have been arrested in connection with the latest case. Raids were conducted in Surat and it was found that one Sohel Ismail Tai manufactured spurious drugs under the name of Genic Pharma. Machines, ampules and API worth Rs 8 lakh were seized.
Commissioner, FDCA, Dr. H.G. Koshia said that the first source of information was one Dr Devang Shah. He had prescribed the injection for a patient. When he found the drug to be ineffective, he complained it to the FDCA.
The patient’s relative had purchased three boxes of Actemra 250 mg, manufactured by Genic Pharma, for Rs 1.35 lakh from one Ashish Shah of Messers Maa Pharmacy at Sabarmati. The drug was purchased without bill.
https://www.theweek.in/news/india/2020/07/18/fake-injections-racket-busted-in-gujarat.html
Lear More