Crackdown on oil smuggling begins
SAN FERNANDO CITY — The new police chief of the Ilocos Region began a crackdown on smuggling of oil products into the region through the Poro Point Freeport Zone. Police Chief Supt. Moro Virgilio Lazo said he will work in tandem with the Philippine Ports Authority and the Bureau of Customs in running after the smugglers in an interview at Camp Gen. Florendo after the command was turned over to him by outgoing regional police chief Ricardo Marquez. “We will first countercheck the accuracy of the reports,” said the new police chief whose regional headquarters stand on top of a hill overlooking the Freeport zone. Lazo was informed that although no one has been caught smuggling oil through the freeport, a mushrooming of independent gasoline stations selling cheaper fuel than the major oil companies was seen as proof that the only international port in northwestern Luzon is being used as the entry point for smuggled oil products. Refined oil products including diesel, regular, unleaded and premium gasoline sold by independent gas stations at cheaper prices by an average of P3 per liter compared to prices offered by the big three: Petron, Shell and Caltex.
http://manilastandardtoday.com/2013/12/16/crackdown-on-oil-smuggling-begins-/
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Glasgow ‘worst in UK for sale of illegal cigarettes
A Scotland-wide test purchase investigation, where trained undercover buyers purchase illegal tobacco, found more in Glasgow than anywhere else in the UK. The exercise, run by former Scotland Yard Detective Chief Inspector Will O’Reilly, found illegal products on offer at the Barras, in pubs and an ethnic food shop. Mr O’Reilly said: “Right across Scotland, we purchased illicit tobacco in great volumes, and Glasgow was one of the areas in which we found it easy to access. Through our findings, it would generally appear there is a correlation between areas of deprivation and the illicit tobacco trade. We know that organised crime is behind the trade in illicit tobacco. “Criminals are turning from harder crimes to the illicit trade in tobacco products due to higher profit margins and fewer risks involved.” At the Barras, test purchasers bought illicit cigarettes from four sellers, including one who had his wares in full display. In total, from the Barras market the test purchasers bought seven cartons of cigarettes and one pouch of a known loose tobacco being sold at £6.50. They also found illegal copies of well-known cigarette brands in several pubs, a social club and a mobile phone shop.
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Police dismantle major tobacco smuggling ring in Ontario
HAMILTON, Ont. – Authorities say a large contraband tobacco smuggling and trafficking operation has been dismantled in southwestern Ontario. It’s alleged the ring was responsible for smuggling more than 66 tonnes of un-stamped water pipe tobacco into Canada since 2010. Nine people are facing charges following a joint investigation by Hamilton and Niagara area RCMP, the Canada Border Services Agency and the Ontario Ministry of Finance. Police say the investigation began in 2011 into a local individual suspected of smuggling un-stamped water pipe tobacco for local distribution. But as the investigation went on, they say a larger organization was uncovered that reached beyond the Hamilton area.
http://globalnews.ca/news/
Nine charged in major Ontario tobacco smuggling ring
Authorities say a large contraband tobacco smuggling and trafficking operation has been dismantled in south western Ontario. It’s alleged the ring was responsible for smuggling more than 66 tonnes of unstamped water pipe tobacco into Canada since 2010. Nine people are facing charges following a joint investigation by Hamilton and Niagara area RCMP, the Canada Border Services Agency and the Ontario Ministry of Finance. Police say the investigation began in 2011 into a local individual suspected of smuggling unstamped water pipe tobacco for local distribution. But as the investigation went on, they say a larger organization was uncovered that reached beyond the Hamilton area.
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Smuggling ‘Rife in Clark Freeport Zone
Some firms at the Clark Freeport Zone (CFZ) are being used in the smuggling of raw materials or finished products for export, with most of them usually ending up in the local market. Voluminous reports obtained by Manila Times showed that the Clark Development Corp’s (CDC) anti-smuggling task force has been apprehending some movers and confiscating items about to be smuggled out of the ecozone. The most recent apprehensions by the Task Force on Revenue and Tax Monitoring led to the confiscation last November 9 of an undetermined number of cut gloves and five rolls of anti-static fabric, 19 boxes of sticky mats and three boxes of cotton M-3 wiper. On June 17, the task force seized a truckload of computer servers and accessories after the driver presented only a gate pass from Rapat of Philexcel Business Park and not a permit to bring the items out of the zone. Arnel Maguillo, chief of the anti-smuggling task force, reported at least 50 cases of interceptions and confiscations of goods about to be smuggled out of the zone between December 2004 and June this year. The 50th entry of the group’s accomplishment report said: “Secured all evidences regarding shipment of luxury cars (brand-new 2-door Gallardo Lamborghini worth $167,850 or P7.4mn) coming from Dubai via Subic and arrived at Clark Customs Clearance Area last Dec 22, 2004. Submitted official report to the office of the president, task force chairman.”
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Counterfeiting: don’t let it ruin your Christmas
It has been reported that the sale and distribution of counterfeit goods seems to escalate during the Christmas season. Counterfeit goods are everywhere, from fake clothing and detergents to poor quality toys which is particularly problematic at this time of the year. As a consumer, you may choose to buy counterfeit goods and therefore are prepared to take the risk that the goods are in some way sub-standard but what about the increasing number of us who end up with counterfeit goods believing we had purchased the genuine item? A consumer could be left with a product they are disappointed with, and the legitimate brand owner is left with potentially declining profits and dwindling goodwill in the brand. For all businesses, it is becoming increasingly important to understand where your product stands in the marketplace. If you have a suspicion that someone may be selling your product on-line or they are copying your brand identity or producing counterfeit products, there are options available to you to ensure that you do not lose any further money, brand reputation, or customers. Expert Investigations, a nationwide commercial detective investigation agency have a wealth of experience investigating counterfeit product cases working on behalf of Intellectual property firms, authorities and brand owners.
http://realbusiness.co.uk/article/25056-counterfeiting-dont-let-it-ruin-your-christmas
Lear MoreSmuggled khair wood seized from Chikhli.
SURAT: The forest officials in Navsari’s Chikhli taluka seized smuggled khair (catechu) wood worth Rs 70000 hidden somewhere in the farm field. Official sources said the khair wood is in huge demand across the country for its use to make katha, a main ingredient in the paan and other tobacco and non-tobacco products like paan-masala etc. The forest areas in south Gujarat including Surat, Navsari, Valsad and Dangs have khair woods in abundant quantity. Based on the tip-off by the locals, who told officials about the large-scale smuggling of khair wood going on in the area, forest officials in Chikhli raided the Limda Falia at Kangwai village in Chikhli and seized around four tones of khair wood lying in the farm owned by one Mohan Dhanjibhai. Sources said that the Kangwai village has been infamous for khair wood smuggling as the number of seizures have increased in the last couple of months. “We have been keeping a close vigil on Kangwai village and its residents who are involved in khair wood smuggling from the past couple of months. This is the fourth incident of khair wood seizure reported from the village” said a forest officer.
Lear MorePassenger arrested at JFK after allegedly smuggling cocaine in hair care products
AMAICA (WABC) — An arriving passenger at JFK Airport was confronted by Customs after hair care products within her bag tested positive for cocaine. Erika Rodriguez de los Santos was arriving on a flight from the Dominican Republic in November when officers noticed five hair care products in her bag were unusually heavy. When officers searched the containers, an oil-like substance tested positive for cocaine. The total weight of the seized cocaine was 6.27 pounds. Rodriguez was arrested, and faces federal narcotics smuggling charges, and will be prosecuted by the U.S. District Attorney’s Office.
Lear MoreSeafood being smuggled to KSA through Dubai after import ban
Smuggling of fresh seafood to Saudi Arabia is going through Dubai transit after the Kingdom placed restrictions on import of Indian, Bangladeshi and Pakistani fish and shrimp products recently, fisheries sources said on Friday. “Saudi municipal administration banned sales of fisheries items exported from sub-continent countries after finding pig-meat ingredients in Indian farm fish and shrimp,” sources said, adding that the Pakistani seafood export also suffered for not qualified to the Kingdom’s food specifications. About a couple of weeks ago, Kuwait had also rejected Pakistan’s consignments of fresh seafood products for being unsuitable for human consumption, for which exporters of frozen fish and shrimp products widely held Marine Fisheries Department (MFD) responsible. Sources said that both Saudi Arabia and Kuwait were the major markets for Pakistani fresh seafood items. They feared that losing of either market will pull down the country’s annual foreign exchange earning from fisheries sector. “India’s farm fish and shrimp outstretched their shares to upstage export of Pakistan in Middle East but soon were found with prohibited substance of pig-meat in the kingdom major cities, which also caused import and sales restriction to Pakistani seafood too,” sources said.
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Police Bust Illegal Cigarette Factory in Sofia
Police have busted an illegal cigarette factory in Sofia, according to Svetoslav Lazarov, Chief Secretary of the Interior. Speaking Saturday at a press conference, he informed that the factory had been discovered on Friday in Sofia’s Orlandovtsi district in an operation of the “National Police” Chief Directorate of the Interior and the police officers from the 5th Regional Police Directorate in Sofia. He announced that the unpaid excise duty from the seized 5 tonnes of cut rag tobacco amounted to BGN 760 000 and the factory produced an estimated 2 tonnes of tobacco a week, or 8 tonnes a month. Lazarov said that the tobacco had been delivered to the factory, where it had been cut, processed and used to make cigarettes and packs of tobacco. He specified that the scheme had functioned for around 3 years, and the illegal tobacco products had been delivered to restaurants and pet shops, from where they had been distributed across the country. During the police operation, a man and a woman believed to be the chief organizers of the illegal activity were arrested at the factory. The two were in charge of promotion by online ads and brochures, there were also contracts with clients. Police keep searching for the other participants in the crime ring.
http://www.novinite.com/view_