NFA gave legal cover to smugglers
Top officials of the National Food Authority (NFA) gave big-time smugglers legal cover in importing rice using farmers’ cooperatives as fronts, an investigation of rice smuggling in the country showed. Former NFA Administrator Lito Banayo, his deputy administrator Jose D. Cordero, suspected smuggler David Bangayan/Tan and three others are among those set to be charged with economic sabotage and violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act in the Department of Justice (DOJ). “The NFA officials signed the import permits, which provided the legal cover for the suspected rice smugglers,” said a source privy to the results of the probe conducted by state investigators.
Appointed by President Aquino in July 2010 as NFA head, Banayo resigned on Sept. 30, 2012, in the wake of reports of massive rice smuggling in the country. He stepped down reportedly to run for congressman in the 2013 midterm elections in the first district of Agusan del Norte province.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/621723/nfa-gave-legal-cover-to-smugglers#ixzz3AonHILHZ
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The Tobacco Curse: Why Belarus Smokes And Smuggles Cigarettes
More than 65% of Belarusian university and high school students smoke, according to recent estimates from the Ministry of Health.
While smoking is declining across Europe, a growing number of young Belarusians are turning to cigarettes due to lax regulations and low prices. Cheap cigarettes from Belarus are also being smuggled into Western Europe, involving thousands of Belarusians who regularly engage in criminal activity. Why do cigarettes in Belarus remain among the cheapest in Europe?
Raising the cost of tobacco products – by levying an excise tax on consumers – is a simple and effective measure to combat smoking among both youth and adults. A tobacco tax could produce economic as well as social and health benefits. At the end of the day though, the Belarusian government is reluctant to tax tobacco because of the profits it reaps from manufacturing and exporting tobacco products.
http://belarusdigest.com/story/tobacco-curse-why-belarus-smokes-and-smuggles-cigarettes-18619
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Spain Seeks To ‘Criminalise’ Gibraltar And The Campo With Tobacco Claims
The Gibraltar Government has called on Spain to stop trying to ‘criminalise’ Gibraltar and the Campo de Gibraltar with ‘sensationalist’ data about tobacco smuggling. In a statement, it said data provided by the Spanish government’s representative in the province of Cádiz, Javier de Torre, ‘contradicted’ statistics from the Spanish Tax Agency in a bid to make the problem look worse than it is. Sr de Torre was quoted saying that 60% of all tobacco seizures in Spain came from the Campo de Gibraltar, a figure that had been used earlier in the week in a statement from the Treasury Ministry in Madrid. According to the Gibraltar Government, Spain’s own official statistics show the figure of tobacco seizures at the border between Gibraltar and La Línea account for 9% of total seizures in Spain, while those in the Campo de Gibraltar area – which also includes the port of Algeciras – make up 21% of the total.
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Customs recovers huge quantity of smuggled cigarettes
Directorate of Customs Intelligence has recovered huge quantity of smuggled cigarettes and other banned tobacco items worth Rs66 million in a raid on busy wholesale market in Karachi.
A senior official at Directorate of Customs Intelligence, Karachi said on Friday that with the assistance of Pakistan Rangers Sindh, the staff of customs intelligence had recovered huge quantity of foreign smuggled cigarettes, India Gutka and flavored Sheesha during a joint operation at the Bolton Market. It was a second big recovery of smuggled cigarettes and other banned tobacco items in last 18 days as the directorate made similar recovery of Rs68 million in a raid on the same wholesale market.
The directorate acted on information that foreign smuggled cigarettes and Gutka in a huge quantity had been illegally stored in different godowns located in Bolton Market. A team of Customs Intelligence officials, including Haji Muhammad Aslam, Akmal Hashmi and Qasim Alvi etc. was constituted under the supervision of Deputy Director Dr Ahsan Khan by Director Muhammad Asif Marghoob Siddiqui in consultation with Additional Director Nadeem Ahsan.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-3-262535-Customs-recovers-huge-quantity-of-smuggled-cigarettes
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Strike force seeks to stop tobacco smuggling
New York is adjacent to several states where tobacco taxes are much lower providing opportunities to those who will smuggle in those cheaper cigarettes for illegal sale. The state charges $4.35 per pack. New York City adds another $1.50. In busts within the last six months by a strike force from the Taxation and Finance Department, investigators have found more than 12,000 untaxed cartons, 250,000 untaxed cigars, 25,000 counterfeit tax stamps and $1.7 million in cash. “Since the Strike Force was pulled together about six months ago, the heat has been turned up on trying to go after illegal cigarettes,” said Taxation and Finance spokesperson Cary Ziter. “There has certainly been cases in Erie County. There have certainly been cases across New York. There’s a special focus, frankly, on New York City where there is a great deal of illegal activity.”
http://news.wbfo.org/post/strike-force-seeks-stop-tobacco-smuggling
Lear MoreSix admit tobacco and cigarette-smuggling conspiracy
FIVE people from South Tyneside appeared in court yesterday and admitted dealing in illegal tobacco and cigarettes. Newcastle Crown Court heard the group conspired together to evade duty on the products between January 2010 and October 2012. Four of them also admitted conspiring to conceal the cash proceeds of the illegal enterprise. Kirsten Linney, 22, of High Meadow, Michael Linney, 46, of Mill Dam, Victoria Linney, 42, of Mill Dam, and Paul Lowery, 38, of Marlborough Street, all South Shields, pleaded guilty to two conspiracy charges. Glenn Chrisp, 40, of Pear Tree Mews, Ashbrooke, Sunderland, also admitted conspiracy. Kris Linney, 28 of Albert Road, Jarrow, admitted conspiracy in relation to the evasion of duty, but prosecutors accepted his ‘not guilty’ plea in relation to the cash charge.
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Police foil bid to smuggle tobacco products to Lanka
Police arrested five fishermen and seized 300 kg tobacco products meant for smuggling to Sri Lanka in a clandestine boat valued at Rs 20 lakh at Akkalmadam north sea shore at Pamban, here today.
Police said during a routine patrol along the shore, a police team found five persons loading five bags in a Vallam (Country boat fitted with outboard engine). The police rounded up all the persons on suspicion and during the check tobacco products like Hans weighing 300 kg were found packed in the bags.
http://news.webindia123.com/news/Articles/India/20140616/2409033.html
Lear MoreFake Britain’s knock-off goods: From Shardonnay to brick dust covered in road paint and sold as heart drug
It’s enough to make you choke on your Chardonnay. Trading standards officers have revealed that as many as one in five bottles of wine on sale in corner shops is fake. Well known brands such as Jacob’s Creek have, in some cases, been imitated and replaced with harsh pretend plonk. Some of the fakes are relatively sophisticated, others less impressive.
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Oakdale man prosecuted over counterfeit tobacco
An Oakdale man has been prosecuted for counterfeit tobacco offences, following a Caerphilly Trading Standards investigation.
Carl Kilby, 47, of Penmaen Avenue, Oakdale, was taken to court following an investigation by Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Trading Standards which revealed he was supplying counterfeit tobacco and cigarettes.
A warrant was executed in March this year at Kilby’s home address in Oakdale, with assistance from Gwent Police and a specialist tobacco detection dog.
Six 50g Amber Leaf tobacco pouches, together with 1,798 Regal King Size cigarettes and 180 Richmond cigarettes were found at first.
A further 41 hidden pouches of Golden Virginia tobacco were found by the tobacco detection dog.
http://www.caerphillyobserver.
Efforts to stop sale of smuggled cigarettes
Between 1 April and 30 June, the Da Nang Market Management Bureau has inspected many establishments which sell tobacco products imported from foreign countries. As a result, over 2,000 packs of illegally traded cigarettes were seized, mainly brands including Esse, Jet and 555. Fines totalling over 68.8 million VND were imposed on the violators.
Over the first 6 months of this year, the local police force has cracked down on cigarette smuggling cases in the city. Da Nang has seen a lower number of cigarette smuggling cases than other localities across the country, especially those which border Laos, China and Cambodia. However, the city is considered to be a profitable market for smuggled cigarettes. The transport of smuggled foreign-made cigarettes to localities nationwide through border gates has yet to be controlled effectively.
http://www.baodanang.vn/english/society/201407/efforts-to-stop-sale-of-smuggled-cigarettes-2343865/
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