Does Counterfeit Fashion Fund Terrorism?
According to fashion writers and historians, every woman’s wardrobe should contain that versatile “little black dress” (LBD). The origins of the phrase and the simple, yet elegant, black cocktail dress predate that worn by Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly in the iconic 1960s film Breakfast at Tiffany’s and stretch back in the annals of time to the designs of Coco Chanel and Jean Patou in the 1920s.
As a staple fashion icon, it can be worn with everything to go to anywhere-from the dressy to the dress down. But it can also mean “dressed to kill,” if the LBD in question is a fake? If the sale of such counterfeit fashion was funding another kind of black icon—the black flag of ISIS, or so-called Islamic State.
Would every woman still covet one if the black were tinged red with the blood of innocent civilians or martyred jihadists on the streets of Europe? Would the dress still have its lure and appeal?
There has long been suspicion that counterfeit fashion goods and their sale in the United States and Europe raise millions for what have become cash-rich terrorist causes across the Middle East. The recently recaptured cities of Mosul and Raqqa have given up their grisly secrets of torture and murder in the name of a cause that ruled its so-called “caliphates” with fear and brutal repression and have been bank-rolled in part through the sale of counterfeit fashion—little black numbers, handbags, fake designer sneakers, DVDs, car parts, alcohol, and tobacco.
Recent research converts the anecdotal into the factual for the first time as undercover journalists and researchers have followed the murderous and lucrative trail of the criminal gangs right to the streets of Europe—Paris, Barcelona, and other major cities—to the markets and curbsides where feckless buyers of fake goods hand over their cash.
They, for their part, have no idea—or simply don’t care—that their purchases are putting weapons in the hands of the jihadists who will then turn them on innocent consumers in those same cities where a shopping spree becomes a murderous spree.
https://losspreventionmedia.com/does-counterfeit-fashion-fund-terrorism/
Lear MoreP1-M smuggled, fake cigarettes seized in GenSan
GENERAL SANTOS CITY -Joint operatives recovered close to PHP1-million worth of smuggled and counterfeit cigarettes in a series of operations in two public markets and a warehouse here Thursday.
Armed with 12 search warrants, elements of the city police and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) swooped in on several stalls before noon at the city’s main and Lagao public markets and a warehouse along Cagampang St.
The warrants, which were issued by Regional Trial Court Branch 35 Judge Oscar Noel, were for violation of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act and the Intellectual Property Code.
Senior Supt. Raul Supiter, city police director, said the operations resulted in the recovery of at least 108 boxes of smuggled and fake cigarettes.
At the public markets, he said they found several stalls selling various brands of cigarettes that did not have government-issued tax stamps.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1047974
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Mumbai Crime: Smuggled Goods Worth Rs 2.73 Crore Seized By DRI
Acting on a source based information, officials of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials found “Saffron”, “Cigarettes” and “Gold” among other items in the consignments imported through Airport Parcel Sorting Office (APSO), located near the domestic airport at Vile Parle on Wednesday.
Officials said that these consignments were declared to contain “Old Cloth” and “Food Supplements”. Detailed examination of these consignments resulted in the seizure of 145 Kgs of “Saffron”, nearly 1 lakh cigarettes of ‘Gudang Garam’ brand, computer processor chips, medicines and “Gold – 1.86 Kgs” collectively valued at Rs 2.73 crore. A case has been registered under the Customs Act, 1962 and further investigations are in progress.
In a similar incident, the Pune regional unit of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), 86 gold biscuits and gold in other forms, totally weighing 10.175 KG worth Rs 3.09 crores, were recovered from the lavatory at the Pune international airport on Thursday. On the basis of specific information, the DRI officials with the assistance of officers of Pune customs commissionerate made the recovery.
Lear MoreBeer, liquor and cigarettes worth millions seized in Sarawak’s biggest smuggling bust
SIBU: Millions of ringgit worth of beer, liquor and cigarettes have been seized in Sarawak’s biggest anti-smuggling bust.
45 containers of contraband were seized from a barge which had berthed at a private jetty here by the Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM). 400 boxes of hard liquor were also seized from a warehouse near the jetty.
Seven crew members of the barge, aged between 20 to 45, were detained. A local was also picked up from the warehouse. They will all assist investigations into the case.
Customs director-general Datuk Seri Subromaniam Tholasy said the seizure was made during an operation at 11.30am on Sept 5 on a barge, which had berthed at the jetty in Jalan Salim-Stabau here.
The raid on the barge yielded 45 containers. 44 of them contained assorted brands of beer worth RM2.42mil (with taxes of RM11.27mil payable), he detailed at a press conference on Friday (Sept 14).
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Man arrested for allegedly smuggling counterfeit goods worth R17m
Rustenburg – A 42-year-old man was arrested at Kopfontein border post between South Africa and Botswana for allegedly smuggling R17 million worth of counterfeit goods into the country, North West police said on Thursday. Police spokesperson Captain Sam Tselanyane said the man was arrested on Tuesday.
“It is alleged that on Tuesday, 11 September, at about 22:15, a truck arrived at the border’s searching point.
“According to information received, the member who was on duty went to notify customs officials about the truck. The member realised when he returned that the truck driver drove off without permission and a chase ensued. The truck was stopped about two kilometres from the border and redirected back to the border for further verification of goods that were in transit,” he said.
Two trailers were fully loaded with 200 boxes of counterfeit footwear with an estimated value of R17 million.
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Australian Border Force officers arrest two Chinese nationals over seizure of 1.3 million allegedly illegally imported cigarettes
Authorities have seized more than 1.3 million allegedly illegally imported cigarettes concealed inside boxes marked “outdoor furniture”.
Australian Border Force officers arrested two Chinese nationals over the haul and allege they attempted to avoid more than $1 million in duty tax. Officers intercepted the men collecting the shipment at the Adelaide Container Examination Facility. The total duty tax allegedly evaded on the tobacco is $1,013,127.
Officers arrested a 36-year-old man on a bridging visa and a 34-year-old man on a resident return visa. Both men live in New South Wales. Police also found ammunition and a ballistic vest during a search of a linked property at Hendon, in Adelaide’s north west.
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B30m pirated goods seized at popular Chiang Mai market
About 200 police raided the Night Bazaar in Muang district of Chiang Mai late on Wednesday night and seized about 27,000 pirated products with an estimated combined market value of 30 million baht.
Starting at about 10pm, police searched 25 outlets at Chiang Mai’s most famous market. Seized products bearing luxury brandnames included shirts, trousers, bags, belts and eyeglasses. The goods were openly displayed. The brands included Louis Vuitton, Prada and Gucci.
Directing the raid, Pol Maj Gen Surachate Hakparn, deputy chief of tourist police, said investigators would also track down the producers, smugglers and online and offline sellers of the pirated products. They would face asset seizure and legal action under money-laundering laws. Police arrested 12 people for possession of pirated products.
Lear MoreMan arrested at Delhi airport for trying to smuggle 1 kg gold by hiding it in his rectum
A man was arrested at Delhi airport for allegedly trying to smuggle one kg gold. He hid the gold in his rectum in order to smuggle the gold.
The man was arrested by the Customs department at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport, according to an official statement.
The 24-year-old passenger was intercepted upon his arrival from Dubai on Monday, the statement said.
On detailed baggage examination and personal search, it was discovered that the accused had hidden nine gold bars, weighing 1.04 kg, inside his rectum, according to a PTI report.
The gold bars, valued at Rs 32 lakh, were seized and the passenger was arrested, the department said.
Lear MoreCustoms seize N359m contraband goods
The Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit, Zone C, Owerri, Imo State, says it has seized contraband goods and smuggled exotic motor vehicles worth N359,985,201 Duty Paid Value.
It also said it would not rest on its oars until smuggling of contraband consignments and non-payment of DPV on goods, including cars were stopped.
Briefing journalists at the NCS, FOU, Zone “C” Benin Office on Thursday, the Customs Area Controller of the unit, Mr Kayode Olusemire, stated that the DPVs on all the cars were N317,680,101; and , N42,305,100 on contraband goods.
He said, “I regret that the Federal Government has continued to lose huge revenue as a result of the unpatriotic activities of smugglers, who are poised to acquire wealth through the short cut.
https://punchng.com/customs-seize-n359m-contraband-goods/
Lear More6 held with 14kg gold
The Rapid Action Battalion on Sunday arrested six alleged members of a gold smuggling gang with 120 gold bars, weighing around 14kg, on two buses on Dhaka-Sylhet Highway in Narsingdi.
The Rab suspects the gold was smuggled into the country, dodging law enforcers and airport security forces.
Maj Rahat Harun Khan, acting commanding officer of Rab-3, said the arrestees received the gold in Sylhet and were supposed to deliver it in the capital in order to smuggle it to a neighbouring country.
At a press conference at Rab Media Centre, Maj Rahat said they had information that smugglers were carrying gold bars on two buses and likewise set up a checkpoint in Panchdona area of Narsingdi.
Three of the alleged smugglers were arrested on a bus of Ena Paribahan and the other three on another bus of Greenline Paribahan in between 4:30pm and 5:00pm, he added.
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