Mumbai: In a major bust in Mumbai, officers of the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of the Mumbai Airport Customs Department made many seizures amounting to Rs 1.44 crore in gold and Rs 92.43 lakh in foreign currency from travellers involved in smuggling. The officers seized around 2.8 kg of gold worth valued at Rs 1.44 Crore in three separate cases.
Meanwhile, 90,000 AED (Arab Emirate Dirham) and 90,000 US Dollars were also seized by the Mumbai Customs Department in two different cases. The video of the seizures made by the department also surfaced online. The Customs Department acted on the intelligence input.
Authorities have confiscated gold and foreign currency. An investigation has been launched into the matter. The travellers from whom the gold and the foreign currency were seized were detained.
Last month also a huge quantity of gold was seized from passengers at the Mumbai Aiport. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) arrested two passengers at the Mumbai airport for trying to smuggle gold.
https://www.timesnownews.com/india/watch-mumbai-customs-department-seizes-2-8-gold-foreign-currency-valued-over-rs-2-crore-in-multiple-cases-article-97790546
WATCH: Mumbai Customs department seizes 2.8 gold, foreign currency valued over Rs 2 crore in multiple cases
Customs dept seized drugs worth ₹75 crore, smuggled gold of ₹42 crore in Jan
The anti-smuggling department seized around 81 kilograms of smuggled gold worth around ₹42 crore last month. The gold was being smuggled using different modes of ingenious concealments such as in body cavities, slippers, buckles of worn belt, trolley bags etc, said the source.
Customs sources said this is for the first time that they are witnessing such a huge seizure of drugs, gold and foreign currency together in just a month.
The department officials have attributed the significant seizures of all three smuggled items together in just a month to strict and enhanced vigilance by the customs department at the Mumbai international airport.
According to sources, drug cartels are now finding new and clever ways to smuggle narcotics and psychotropic substances across countries. However, customs officials managed to successfully foil their plans several times and exposed their modus operandi.
“Last month, drugs were smuggled by carriers in document folders, cloth buttons and in false cavities of duffle bags,” said a customs source.
https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/mumbai-news/customs-dept-seized-drugs-worth-75-crore-smuggled-gold-of-42-crore-in-jan-101675969705837.html
Man arrested at Beitbridge border for allegedly smuggling illicit cigarettes worth R21m into SA
A 47-year-old Zimbabwean national has appeared in court after he was allegedly caught entering South Africa at the Beitbridge border with illicit cigarettes valued at more than R21 million.
Peter Tambudze appeared in Musina Magistrate’s Court in Limpopo on Thursday where he is facing charges of fraud, false declaration, and possession of illicit cigarettes.
The matter was postponed to 14 February for a formal bail application.
It is alleged that on 19 January, Tambudze arrived at the Beitbridge border post from Zimbabwe.
He was driving a truck with two trailers.
“He declared on the SAD 500/Entry form that he is transporting cotton,” Limpopo National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi said.
“Along the way from Musina, police officers stopped the truck and searched it. They found that the truck was loaded with illicit cigarettes worth over R21 million, and he was arrested.”
https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/man-arrested-at-beitbridge-border-for-allegedly-smuggling-illicit-cigarettes-worth-r21m-into-sa-20230209
Thane: Counterfeit notes of over Rs 8 crore seized
THANE: As many as seven cases were registered last year of counterfeit currency notes which were valued over Rs 8 crore under the jurisdiction of the Thane city police.
The data states that out of seven cases, six were solved with nearly 100 percent detection. In most of the cases, the accused were making the notes locally with the use of computers, printers etc.
According to statistics in 2021, a total of three cases were registered and all three cases were detected, the number rose to seven in 2022.
Sources from the police department informed that the circulation of counterfeit currency of various denominations takes place as in day to day business where there is minimal risk of being detected as huge transactions take place in various sectors and there is very little time to verify the currency notes due to rapid transactions. “The one who prints the notes gives it to someone in the market for the circulation where getting caught is negligible,” the officer said.
At times, the banks detect the fake notes who then approach police and file cases in the respective police stations. A police officer informed “The bank authorities on finding counterfeit currency notes report such cases and detecting such cases is difficult due to the huge circulation of the notes in day-to-day transactions.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/thane/counterfeit-notes-of-over-8cr-seized/articleshow/97615069.cms
2,000 IMFL bottles seized from Rajkot farmhouse, farmer detained
The officials detained Kalu Shiyal (40), a native of Amreli district, who was working as a sharecropper at the farmhouse.
THE CRIME branch of the Rajkot city police detained a farmer after around 2,000 liquor bottles were seized during a raided at a farmhouse in Ranpar village on the outskirts of the city Friday.
Acting on a tip-off, a team of the Detection of Crime Branch (DCB) raided Shivkrupa Farm, around 20 km from the city. The officials found 1,932 bottles of three brands of Indian-Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) worth Rs 7.85 lakh.
The officials detained Kalu Shiyal (40), a native of Amreli district, who was working as a share-cropper at the farmhouse. The police said the farmhouse belongs to Rajkot resident Jaydeepsinh Jadeja. An official release stated that Jadeja and Shaktisinh Parmar, also a resident of Rajkot city, are wanted in the case but are on the run.
https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/ahmedabad/2000-imfl-bottles-seized-from-rajkot-farmhouse-farmer-detained-8422492/
Youth held in Bengaluru for printing, circulating fake notes; cops say he learnt from YouTube videos
A 24-year-old man, who learnt how to print fake notes by watching YouTube videos, was arrested by the Bengaluru city police Wednesday. The police said the youth used to provide counterfeit currency notes worth Rs 4 lakh in lieu of Rs 1 lakh genuine notes. The arrested was identified as Pullalarevu Raju, a native of Anantapur of Andhra Pradesh. He was arrested along with his associates Mannela Gopinath (26), Charan Singh (47) and his younger sister R Rajani (38). All the accused hail from various parts of Andhra Pradesh. A police officer said, “Raju, who wanted to make quick money, started watching YouTube on how to prepare fake currency notes. Two months ago, he bought the necessary materials and started printing fake notes.”
Almost 25-30% products sold in India spurious with counterfeiting: Report
NEW DELHI : Almost 25-30% of all products sold in the country are spurious with counterfeiting being most prevalent in apparel and FMCG sectors, followed by pharmaceutical, automotive, and consumer durables, a joint report by Crisil and the Authentication Solution Providers Association (ASPA) said. “Counterfeiting is most prevalent in apparel (31%), FMCG (28%), and Automotives (25%) are the top segments where consumers came across a counterfeit product, followed by Pharmaceuticals (20%), Consumer Durables (17%), and Agrochemicals (16%),” the report said.
Many car dealers in India are selling fake JBL music systems, here’s how you can identify them
Are you planning to buy a new music system for your car? Before you buy, be very careful because a lot of car accessories dealers in India are selling fake and counterfeit products. To tackle the issue, Harman, the parent company of JBL and Infinity is taking legal action against those involved in the manufacture and sale of fake JBL and Infinity Car Audio products in India. After conducting a raid in three markets in Bengaluru, Harman discovered that four car aftermarket dealers were selling counterfeit JBL and Infinity products. Over 500 counterfeit and infringed products were seized by Harman’s investigation team, along with law enforcement officers. The team discovered products being sold in two places that were misusing the JBL mark as JBZ and IGL and selling counterfeit goods in packaging that was deceptively similar to that of JBL and Infinity. The offenders have been subjected to appropriate legal procedures.
Counterfeits constitute 25-30 pc of the market: Report
Almost 25-30 per cent of all products sold in the country are spurious with counterfeiting being most prevalent in apparel and FMCG sectors, followed by pharmaceutical, automotive, and consumer durables, a report said on Monday. Apparel tops the list with 31 per cent counterfeit products, while fast moving consumer goods or FMCG (28 per cent), and automotives (25 per cent) are the other major segments where consumers come across counterfeit products, followed by pharmaceuticals (20 per cent), consumer durables (17 per cent), and agrochemicals (16 per cent), a joint report by Crisil and the Authentication Solution Providers Association said.
Luxury fakes litter online portals
Shoppers looking to snag a luxury timepiece may be tempted by the allure of cut-price products being sold online: a Tag Heuer Mercedes Benz SLR watch, which typically retails at ₹4.72 lakh, can be purchased for as little as ₹2,500, and an Apple Watch paired with the latest AirPods can be found for just ₹2,999. But bargain-seekers beware: these are fakes that rob luxury brands of sales and the government of tax. Besides, these counterfeit products are being promoted by several Indian social media influencers with impunity.
Counterfeit luxury products have long been a problem in India, but the peddling of fake items has become more open of late, with little pushback from brands and enforcement authorities. This has resulted in the proliferation of fake products that are often hard to distinguish from the originals, making it increasingly challenging for shoppers to make informed purchases.