CISF Seizes Rs. 71 Lakhs Foreign Currency From Passenger In Mumbai.
The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) on September 19 seized over Rs 71 lakh foreign currency from Ativ Mehta an Indian national at Mumbai Airport.
The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) on September 19 seized over Rs 71 lakh foreign currency from Ativ Mehta an Indian national at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), Mumbai. Mehta was on his way to Hong Kong on a Cathay Pacific flight from the Terminal 2 of CSMIA, when he was frisked by the officials.
According to reports, during the pre-embarkation check on September 19, a CISF jawan noticed Mehta walking around the airport in a suspicious manner and stopped him at around 8.30 pm. Mehta was frisked and when he was asked to open his bag. Apparently, he panicked and showed reluctance in opening his luggage.
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Punjab: Illegal sale of imported cigarettes without health advisory on the rise
Punjab News: Illegal sale of imported cigarettes in Punjab has become common and pose a serious threat to health of smokers who are getting hooked to catchy packs of international brands.
Chandigarh: Illegal sale of imported cigarettes in Punjab has become common and pose a serious threat to health of smokers who are getting hooked to catchy packs of international brands that are without health warnings, anti-tobacco activists said on Thursday.
They say selling illegal cigarettes, an organised crime, is not only evading state’s high taxes but also playing with the lives of smokers, mainly the first-timers, because of inferior manufacturing processes and low quality tobacco with high levels of tar and nicotine.
Trade insiders told IANS that Punjab alone has an annual legal market of 120 million cigarettes and the illegal market accounts for 20 per cent of the total trade. Chandigarh and Panchkula cities have a market of 30 million and six million cigarettes annually and the illegal market also has a share of 15-20 per cent.
Lear MoreGold worth Rs 32 lakh seized from passenger at Chennai airport.
CHENNAI: Customs officials at Chennai international airport on Tuesday seized gold worth Rs 32 lakh from a passenger who had concealed it in LED lanterns and digital radio sets.
Mohammad Shah Alam, 29, of Dehradun in Uttarakhand, who arrived here from Riyadh via Colombo in an Srilankan Airlines flight, was intercepted and searched.
Two LED lanterns and one digital radio were found in his baggage. When dismantled, six 10 tola bars and five 5 tolas, weighing 815 grams and valued at Rs 32 lakh, were found concealed inside the battery portion of the two LED lanterns and the digital radio. The passenger was arrested.
Officials said the man had been working as a technician in glass fitting unit in Dehradun. He went to Saudi Arabia in search of job and stayed with his friend. As he could not get any suitable job, he returned to India.
On the day of his travel, his friend handed over two LED lanterns and a digital radio with request to hand them over to his brother who would collect them from his native village. The man said he was unaware of the contents in the LED lanterns and digital radio.
Cigarettes worth Rs 17.5 lakh recovered by NFR’s special force in one month.
A contraband of foreign cigarettes comprising 11,960 packets worth approximately Rs 12 lakh was detected by the STF while being loaded on Tripura Sundari Express at Lumding railway station in Assam on Thursday, NF Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Subhanan Chanda said.
Cigarettes worth Rs 17.5 lakh recovered by NFR’s special force in one month
The Special Task Force (STF) of Commercial Department of Northeast Frontier Railway has recovered smuggled cigarettes worth Rs 17.5 lakh in the first month since its formation, an official said on Friday.
A contraband of foreign cigarettes comprising 11,960 packets worth approximately Rs 12 lakh was detected by the STF while being loaded on Tripura Sundari Express at Lumding railway station in Assam on Thursday, NF Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Subhanan Chanda said.
Acting on a specific information, the STF team led by Assistant Commercial Manager D J Barman conducted search in the train and detected the smuggled goods, he said.
“Yesterday’s recovery was the second major success of the task force in one month of its formation on August 13 as a part of a special initiative for clean and transparent work,” the CPRO said.
Lear MoreCop Arrested For Allegedly Stealing Seized Cigarettes Worth Rs. 2.16 Crore
The cop had seized a huge quantity of smuggled cigarettes of Gudang Garam, a foreign brand, estimated to be worth Rs. 3.24 crore.
The cop was charged under section 409 (criminal breach of trust) of Indian Penal Code. (Representational)
Palghar: A police officer was arrested in Palghar district of Maharashtra on Friday on the charge of misappropriation of seized foreign-made cigarettes worth crores of rupees.
Sharif Shaikh (52), assistant sub-inspector, Waliv police station, was charged under section 409 (criminal breach of trust) of the Indian Penal Code.
Police spokesperson Hemant Katkar said that Waliv police had seized a huge quantity of smuggled cigarettes of Gudang Garam, a foreign brand, estimated to be worth Rs. 3.24 crore.
The sale of these cigarettes is banned in the country. Sharif Shaikh, who was responsible for keeping the contraband safe till the trial of the related case was over, allegedly stole cigarettes worth Rs. 2.16 crore.
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Customs grab B90m in tax dodge items.
Ninety million baht’s worth of brand-name products were seized in tax evasion cases between last October and last month, the Customs Department says.
The value represents a 50% rise on the same period the previous year, according to Chaiyut Khamkhun, the department’s spokesman.
The department released the figures after a Thai Airways International flight attendant was arrested as she attempted to smuggle in several untaxed brand-name products.
Following a tip-off, customs officials arrested the flight attendant who was found to have brought in goods exceeding the allowance limit. She had been on a THAI flight from Italy.
Several brand-name products, including belts, were found concealed under her clothing.
Mr Chaiyut insisted cabin crew and air passengers are treated equally when it comes to searching and prosecuting people trying to smuggle goods into the country to evade import tax, he said.
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Lear MoreWoman among 8 held for smuggling gold, goods worth crores at Delhi airport.
New Delhi, Sep 9 (PTI) Eight people including a woman were arrested at Delhi airport last week for their alleged involvement in separate incidents of smuggling gold and other items worth crores of rupees, Customs officials said on Monday.
In the first incident, two Indians landed in the net upon their arrival from the UAE for allegedly smuggling gold bars worth over Rs 24 lakh, they said.
The two were intercepted by Customs officials after they had crossed the Green Channel post their arrival at the Terminal-3 of the Indira Gandhi International Airport from Abu Dhabi by an Etihad Airways flight.
A personal and baggage search of the passengers resulted in recovery of five gold bars and one cut piece of gold bar, weighing 676 gms having a tariff value of Rs 24,18,786, the officials said.
The gold has been seized and the two passengers arrested under relevant provisions of the Customs Act, they said.
During questioning, they admitted to have smuggled out Saudi Riyal 53,000 and USD 50,000 in their previous visits, they said.
Lear MoreAnti-Counterfeit Packaging Market To Reach USD 248.90 Billion By 2026.
Anti-Counterfeit Packaging Market Size – USD 111.70 Billion in 2018, Market Growth – CAGR of 10.4%, Anti-Counterfeit Packaging Industry Trends – High demand from the pharmaceutical industry.
The rising focus of manufacturers on brand protection to lower the counterfeit is driving the market for the anti-counterfeit packaging market.
The global anti-counterfeit packaging market is forecast to reach USD 248.90 Billion by 2026, according to a new report by Reports and Data. The rise in globalization has increased the level of counterfeit across the globe. Counterfeit goods include jewelry, electronic equipment, clothing, medications, and cigarettes, among others. Secure packaging is witnessing a high demand to avoid counterfeit products.
Anti-counterfeiting packaging is the action of assigning secure packaging to the product to minimize counterfeiting and infringement. The market for counterfeit products is growing across the globe, and manufacturers are working harder to combat this threat. Counterfeiting is a significant threat in many market sectors. The pharmaceutical industry is the most at risk because of the proliferation of dangerous and illegal substance used in counterfeit drugs.
Companies are adopting anti-counterfeiting packaging to prevent imitation and confirm the safety of the goods. Moreover, counterfeiting leads to reduced profitability and loss in brand value for the affected company.
Lear MoreAnti-Counterfeit Packaging Market To Reach USD 248.90 Billion By 2026.
Anti-Counterfeit Packaging Market Size – USD 111.70 Billion in 2018, Market Growth – CAGR of 10.4%, Anti-Counterfeit Packaging Industry Trends – High demand from the pharmaceutical industry.
The rising focus of manufacturers on brand protection to lower the counterfeit is driving the market for the anti-counterfeit packaging market.
The global anti-counterfeit packaging market is forecast to reach USD 248.90 Billion by 2026, according to a new report by Reports and Data. The rise in globalization has increased the level of counterfeit across the globe. Counterfeit goods include jewelry, electronic equipment, clothing, medications, and cigarettes, among others. Secure packaging is witnessing a high demand to avoid counterfeit products.
Anti-counterfeiting packaging is the action of assigning secure packaging to the product to minimize counterfeiting and infringement. The market for counterfeit products is growing across the globe, and manufacturers are working harder to combat this threat. Counterfeiting is a significant threat in many market sectors. The pharmaceutical industry is the most at risk because of the proliferation of dangerous and illegal substance used in counterfeit drugs.
Companies are adopting anti-counterfeiting packaging to prevent imitation and confirm the safety of the goods. Moreover, counterfeiting leads to reduced profitability and loss in brand value for the affected company.
North America held the largest share of 31.4% in 2018 in the anti-counterfeit packaging market. High demand from healthcare products, electronics, food and beverages, and cosmetics, is driving the growth of this market. Awareness among consumers is quickly leading to an increase in demand for transparency, which is boosting the traceability of these products. In order to cater to the rising demand, manufacturers are coming up with innovative technologies in equipment with specific functionalities for efficient identification and tracking of products.
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Communication, Coordination and Collaboration- Strengthening the fight against counterfeiting and smuggling, Karnataka
31/08/2019 | Karnataka
The connectivity of the world’s population has increased phenomenally during the past decades extending the reach of illicit trade to the remotest corners. Technological advent, fast communication channels and globalisation have given impetus to the exponential growth of illicit trade in dangerous forms, such as counterfeiting, smuggling and piracy. According to the World Economic Forum, the economic leakages from illicit trade creates an annual drain on the global economy of $2.2 trillion, which is nearly 3% of the world’s economy.
In order to discuss this growing concern, FICCI CASCADE organised a seminar on “Communication, Coordination and Collaboration: Strengthening the Fight against Counterfeiting and Smuggling” in association with the National Law School of India University, Bengaluru on 31st August 2019. Mr. Ullas Kamath, Chairman, Karnataka State Council, FICCI in his welcome address said that while the national GDP was growing at a rate of 5%, the growth of counterfeit goods was outpacing it at nearly 10%. He added that it was imperative to understand the need for safeguarding the rights of legitimate industry towards developing competitiveness in various sectors of the economy. Mr. Najib Shah, Former Chairman, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs and Think Tank Member, FICCI CASCADE in his theme address, stated that “the realization of the damage counterfeiting causes is not appreciated. On the other hand, smuggling results in generation of unaccounted wealth and is the immediate trigger for criminal activities. We should aim to work towards creating an environment where people will want to be innovators and manufacturers and importers without fear of their work being plagiarised or having to compete with smugglers”.
“Compounding the problem is that counterfeiting has a nebulous definition”, observed Hon’ble Ms. Justice Prathiba M. Singh, Judge, Delhi High Court, the Chief Guest at the programme. While commending FICCI CASCADE’s continued campaign in addressing the menace of smuggling and counterfeiting, Justice Pratibha Singh emphasized on the need for education, awareness and sensitization campaigns amongst consumers, specially the country’s youth, to effectively deal with the problem of illicit trade.
Prof. Dr. M.K. Ramesh, Vice-Chancellor, National Law School of India University, in his address, mentioned that “tackling the menace of counterfeiting and smuggling should be of prime importance with zero defect and zero-effect on the environment. The image of India will shine globally if we strengthen our enforcement of laws, evolve strategies to address this issue and at the same time safeguard the intellect”. The Vice-Chancellor extended his support and ensured the Law School’s commitment to work with FICCI CASCADE in its fight against smuggling and counterfeiting.
The seminar generated discussions on shortcomings in the existing legal framework and likely solutions among senior officials including Mr. Pravin Pawar, DIG-CID, Karnataka State Police, Mr. P P Hegde, Criminal Lawyer, Karnataka High Court, Dr. Nagarathna, National Law School, Mr. S K Murthy, Patent Counsel, Intel India and Ms. Vijayalakshmi Malkani, IP Counsel, Hindustan Unilever. Hon’ble Mr. Justice Manmohan Sarin, Former Lok Ayukta, NCT of Delhi, Chief Justice, High Court of Jammu & Kashmir, Judge, High Court of Delhi and Think Tank Member, FICCI CASCADE, who chaired the panel discussion, said that “our society sees counterfeit goods as a cost-effective alternative to the real thing. But how many people realise that the income from fake goods is funding illegal activities?”. DIG CID Mr. Pawar remarked that many junior police officers lacked the skills required to tackle illicit trading activities. “The police’s priority is basic law and order. Even when anti-counterfeiting busts are effective, convictions are low because of slow justice in courts” he added.
The subsequent panel discussions focused on the issue of online counterfeiting, potential solutions with respect of enforcement and policy guidelines by concerned government departments. Eminent panelists in the deliberations included Mr. A. K, Jyotishi, Chief Commissioner of Customs, Bengaluru Zone, Mr. T G Venkatesh, Additional Director, DRI, Bengaluru Zone, Mr. Harikrishna Holla, Advocate, Dr. Anita A Patil, Assistant Professor, NLSIU, Mr. Pradeep Dixit, General Manager-Industry Affairs, ITC and Mr. Diwakar Singh Pundir, Head Legal & IP, Marico Limited. Mr. P C Jha, Advisor, FICCI CASCADE and Former Chairman, Central Board of Indirect taxes and Customs, while chairing the session, highlighted that in the last twenty years, the volume of counterfeiting activities globally had increased 100 times and the size of trade in counterfeited goods was 10% of the legal international trade amounting to 2% of the world’s overall economic output. “The problem of illicit trade is much more serious than it is commonly perceived”, he emphasized.
Prof. (Dr.) T. Ramakrishna, Professor of Law, Chair of Intellectual Property Rights, Head, CIPRA, Head, Institute of Excellence on Standards and IPR, elaborated on the best practices in dealing with the counterfeiting issue globally, citing laws in the US, Turkey, Canada, UAE and Japan, along with Mr. Ranjan Narula, Managing Partner, RNA, who spoke on the laws in the US and Canada.
The event witnessed enthusiastic participation of over 100 industry captains, representative from consumer forums, lawyers, government officials and other stakeholders. The program concluded with the participating delegates agreeing on the following proposals:
1. The primary concern in tackling the growing phenomenon of illicit trade is the implementation and enforcement of laws, as the legal framework is adequate.
2. There is a need to train judicial and police officers for ease of implementation and prosecution of such cases.
3. The need to understand that the consumers are also an important stakeholder. Involving them to fight the increasing menace is essential to tackle this isuue.
4. Naming and shaming both users and producers of counterfeit products is another essential mechanism, which will lead to shunning of the products by the consumers themselves, thereby leading to a change in the mindset of the people.
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