Fake branded cigarettes, food items from China seized
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has seized fresh shipments of counterfeit cigarettes and assorted food items from China, bringing to over P92 million the value of similar items confiscated over the past two weeks. The contraband, which was discovered in a recent raid on a warehouse on Aguilar Street in Manila’s Tondo district, included boxes of fake Marlboro, Winston and Fortune cigarettes, Knorr and Maggi food seasoning, and Nescafe coffee, the BOC announced on Tuesday. The goods could fetch around P30 million if sold to unsuspecting customers, the bureau said. However, no arrests were made in connection with the seizure. Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon said tips from “assets in the private sector” led to the seizure, which he said was “a big boost to the local industry.” “Otherwise, had these illegally imported goods been able to get to the local market, they could have affected the local tobacco industry,” Biazon said in a statement. The BOC chief particularly lauded the bureau’s Intelligence Group (IG) headed by Deputy Commissioner Danilo Lim, a former military rebel. “The stronger operational ties between IG operatives and their assets will certainly result in more seizures for the BOC in the days to come.” Lim said the seizure of the smuggled goods “will not only have an impact on the local tobacco industry but, more importantly, it will also be a big help to the government’s healthy lifestyle campaign through cigarette-free living.” The former Army general also observed that “smuggling attempts for cigarette products have noticeably increased after the government imposed (higher) sin taxes (starting in January), resulting in higher prices of tobacco products in the local market.”
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/416587/fake-branded-cigarettes-food-items-from-china-seized
Lear MoreCity busts gang of swindlers selling fake iPhones
Shanghai police have busted a gang who conned people by claiming to be employees telecom companies and selling fake iPhones. The gang has so far admitted to more than 2,000 scams nationwide this year and raked in profits of over 300,000 yuan (US$48,983), police said. Officers said they had detained 18 suspects, including their gang leader, surnamed Liu. The con game came to light on May 15 when a woman claimed she received a call from a telecom company staffer who was promoting iPhones for 1,600 yuan. The caller said the money would be returned to them in installments in two years. When she received the iPhone, she realized she was cheated. Police traced the gang through the courier companies who did their deliveries. Two undercover police officers raided Liu’s warehouse on May 23 and seized nearly 400 fake cell phones of famous brands like iPhone and Nokia and more than 2,100 fake recharging cards.
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90882/8260759.html
Lear MoreFake Knorr, Maggi, cigarettes confiscated by BOC
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) within a month scored its third haul of fake and illegally imported goods. Its latest seizure was counterfeit Knorr and Maggi food seasoning items and Nescafe products that were found in a Manila warehouse. “Through the help of its assets from the private sector, the bureau’s Intelligence Group has once again caused the seizure of these illegally imported goods,” said Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon. In the warehouse, Customs authorities also confiscated smuggled Marlboro, Winston and Fortune cigarettes. These were all fake goods from China. Customs authorities placed the total value of the illegally imported items at P30 million.
“This definitely is a big boost to the local business industry. Otherwise, had these illegally imported goods been able to get to the local market, it could have affected the local tobacco industry and business,” Biazon said.
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CBP, French Customs Seize Critical Counterfeit Electronic Components
In partnership with French Customs, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recently completed Operation Core Systems, a bilateral intellectual property rights enforcement operation that targeted counterfeit critical computer and other electronic components, including semiconductors, computer networking equipment, hard drives, and memory cards, which are a threat to both the U.S. and France. Conducted from Nov. 1, 2012 through April 30, the operation resulted in the seizure of 480 shipments of potentially harmful counterfeit electronic components. “CBP is proud to work with our French Customs partners on such an important issue,” said CBP Assistant Commissioner Al Gina. “Intellectual property rights violations have the potential to cause great harm to our country’s economy as well as the American public’s health and safety. Building these types of international partnerships will continue to become increasingly important to facilitating a safe and secure flow of trade.” “The Core Systems operation gave us a better understanding of the global threat presented by counterfeit critical electronic components, the opportunity to cooperate with the right holders, and to make significant seizures,” said François Richard, French Customs Attaché in Washington D.C. “It is the third bilateral IPR enforcement operation organized by our two agencies, and for sure not the last.”
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Spurious liquor claims 4 lives in Sultanpur district
Celebratory drinking claimed four lives in Sultanpur district on Friday four people from the groom’s side, including his father, died after consuming spurious liquor. In another incident that was reported from a village in Amethi district, ten people had lost their lives after consuming illicit liquor on May 8. Ramnarayan Dhuria, a resident of Shrirampur Lamoli village in Sultanpur had organised his daughter’s wedding at the village on Friday. 55-year-old Mastram Dhuria, father of the groom, along with several others arrived at the Sultanpur village from Ambedkar Nagar district. Ramnarayan served two bottles including a branded whisky bottle to Mastram, Ramchandra Verma (30), Indrajeet Verma (35) and Rajendra (28). The group had consumed one bottle when they started feeling uneasy. The liquor was apparently spiked with some dangerous chemicals locally. The condition of the group started deteriorating and three members were rushed to a nearby hospital. Meanwhile, Indrajeet said he was sick and decided to sleep at the village as he felt dizzy. The three died at the hospital while undergoing treatment while Indrajeet was found dead in the morning. Senior officials from district administration, excise department and Sultanpur police visited the village on Saturday. The officials took the whisky bottles in custody and sent the bodies for autopsy. The incident took place under the jurisdiction of Motipur police station and owner of the store that sold the liquor to Ramnarayan as well as persons responsible for manufacturing of the illicit liquor will be booked, said police. In the Amethi incident, 10 persons died after consuming illicit country liquor during a local event at Miyan Ka Purwa village. Several including the manufacturer and supplier were arrested subsequently.
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Counterfeit baseball caps at center of federal investigation
Federal agents are investigating a case of counterfeit baseball hats coming from Hong Kong into the U.S. through the Port of Milwaukee. And the suspect, Darvin Moore, is no stranger to investigators. Moore, 39, was convicted in 2004 on two counts of trafficking in counterfeit goods and received five months behind bars. Moore is named as the suspect in a scheme to traffic in counterfeit baseball hats, according to a search warrant unsealed in federal court in Milwaukee recently. Moore could not be reached for comment. He is not charged in the current case. According to the search warrant by an agent from the Department of Homeland Security, more than 500 counterfeit baseball hats were seized at the Port of Milwaukee in April and May of last year. They bore the logos of teams from the NBA, NFL and other professional leagues. The hats were from Hong Kong and supposed to be delivered to “Dravin Moore” in Milwaukee, before they were intercepted. The agents flagged the packages because they came from a sender known to deal in counterfeit goods, according to the warrant. One of the shipments was scheduled to go to William Spanos, of Iron River, Mich. Contacted recently, Spanos said he ordered the hats over the Internet after receiving an online solicitation.
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P25-M counterfeit drugs seized
A container van loaded with P25 million worth of fake medicines was confiscated by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) at the Manila International Container Port (MICP). Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon said there were 20 pallets of counterfeit medicines found inside the 40-footer container van consigned to Mountain Glory Agri Sales Corp. These medicines bear the brands like Simvastatin, Centrum Multivitamins, Perigo (Ibuprofen), and Amoxycillin, among others. He said the consignee is not accredited by the Food and Drugs Administration to import medicines, thus making its operations illegal. “It has no license,” Biazon said as he personally inspected the illegally imported goods at the Manila port. The commissioner said that Mountain Glory is answerable for violation of R.A. 8293 or the Intellectual Property Rights Law in relation to R.A. 9711 or the Food and Drugs Administration Law. Personnel of the Customs Intellectual Property Rights Division (IPRD) got suspicious over the shipment when they noticed that the counterfeit medicines were stored in a “dry” container van with no temperature control and they were right on the dot. Lawyer Zsae Carrie De Guzman, head of the IPRD, said the seized medicines were either about to expire, if not fit for human consumption. This was the second time in May that the BOC-IPRD has confiscated counterfeit items entering the ports.
Recently, they raided two storage facilities in Tondo, Manila based on the Letter of Authority issued by Biazon. Seized were 272 boxes containing 100 reams per box of Marlboro cigarettes, 30 boxes with 50 reams of Marlboro cigarettes per box, 10 boxes of Winston cigarettes, and 11 boxes of Fortune cigarettes. Included were 432 boxes of Knorr Sinigang Mix and 23 boxes of Maggi Magic Sarap. These goods were illegally imported from China and worth P25 million.
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Turks distributing fake liquor to Russians get 90-year jail
Four Turkish nationals were sentenced Monday to 90 years in prison after they were found guilty of lethal poisoning a group of Russian tourists in 2011, a lawyer said. Some 20 Russian tourists were hospitalized with severe alcohol poisoning in Bodrum in late May on their return from a sailing tour organised by a local company. Four of them died in Turkish hospitals, while another victim died later at a Moscow hospital. The lawyer, who represented the interests of a husband of one of the deceased tourists, said all four Turks were involved in production and distribution of fake alcohol. He also said that the owner of the yacht and two more organizers of the sailing tour were sentenced each to seven years in prison. The Turkish Ministry of Agriculture said in an official statement after the incident in 2011 that the methyl alcohol content in the fake whiskey, called Mister Burdon, was three times higher than normal. According to Turkish officials, a company called Jasmine imported the fake whiskey into Turkey from northern Cyprus. Some 12,000 bottles of the bogus whiskey were sold at local markets.
http://news.oneindia.in/2013/05/21/90-year-jail-for-turks-who-poisoned-russians-1221264.html
Lear MoreNewport News police charge man with possession of counterfeit DVDs
A 27-year-old Newport News man was arrested and charged Sunday after police say he was in possession of counterfeit DVDs. William T. Cofield was charged with selling a record without the owner’s consent, having a record with no manufacturers name on it and trespassing, according to Newport News City Jail records. At about 11 a.m. Sunday, a police officer sitting in an unmarked car saw a man pull out a stack of plain white covered DVDS for two people in the 2300 block of Jefferson Avenue, according to a Newport News Police Department news release.
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Russia: Chanel Sweatshop Dismantled, Over 7,200 Counterfeit Shoes Recovered
Russian interior ministry officers busted an underground sweatshop where more than 100 Chinese citizens produced counterfeit Chanel shoes in deplorable conditions, Just Media reported on Monday. The sweatshop, allegedly operated by an Armenian crime group, was located in the Sverdlovsk region near Yekaterinburg, in central Russia. Health and safety standards as well as working conditions were all below legal standards. The factory reeked of chemicals, and chemical waste was allegedly dumped directly into a nearby river, Just Media reported. The workers lived in an on-site barracks, and their actions and movements were watched and controlled. During the raid on the premises, authorities recovered over 3,600 pairs of counterfeit shoes branded as Chanel footwear. Chanel has been contacted by authorities, and samples of the counterfeits have been sent for comparison and analysis, Just Media reported. According to Chanel, the original shoes retail for around $800, meaning the counterfeits discovered during the raid alone could have cost the company as much $280,000 dollars in lost revenue.
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