BSF troops detained three passport-bearing passengers with cosmetics and 21,000 Bangladeshi Taka at ICP Petrapole, located on the Indo-Bangladesh International Border under South Bengal Frontier. The estimated value of seized goods is Rs. 2,06,690.
On March 9, 2023, jawans of 145 Battalion, Sector Kolkata, based on intelligence inputs, conducted a special search operation near the passengers’ gate at ICP Petrapole on the international border. Meanwhile, three suspicious passengers going from India to Bangladesh were stopped by the jawans for search. During the search, a large quantity of cosmetics and 21,000 Bangladeshi Taka were recovered from their bags. The apprehended passengers were identified as Zulfikar Mandal (25), Uttam Kumar Adhikari (53), and Zakir Hussain (29) of village Bangaon, district North 24 Parganas.
During preliminary interrogation, the apprehended passengers revealed that they had bought these goods from the local market and were going to sell them after taking them to Bangladesh.
The apprehended passengers were handed over to Petrapole Customs along with the seized baggage.
https://neindiabroadcast.com/2023/03/10/bsf-jawans-foil-smuggling-attempts-on-indo-bangladesh-border-arrest-three-passengers/
BSF Jawans Foil Smuggling Attempts On Indo-Bangladesh Border, Arrest Three Passengers
Man arrested for smuggling sea cucumbers in Tamil Nadu
MADURAI: Wildlife officials arrested a man for smuggling 25 kg of sea cucumbers in Tuticorin in the early hours of Tuesday. The sea cucumber is a species protected under the Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act.
Forest guard A Balaji and supernumerary plot watcher Robinston from Tuticorin range of the Ramanathapuram wildlife division were on night patrol around 2am when they spotted a man riding on a two-wheeler in a suspicious manner behind St Mary’s College. They found 25 kg of sea cucumbers in two sacks on the two-wheeler.
Kaja Maideen of Mettupatti, who was smuggling the sea cucumbers, was taken to Tuticorin forest range office for interrogation. A case was registered against him.
He has been remanded in judicial custody.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/man-arrested-for-smuggling-sea-cucumbers-in-tamil-nadu/articleshow/98472117.cms?from=mdr
Gold worth Rs 10.28 crore seized from Dubai-returned passenger at Chandigarh airport
LUDHIANA: A team of the Ludhiana Customs Commissionerate deployed at the Chandigarh International Airport seized gold worth over Rs 10.28 crore from a Dubai-returned passenger on Friday.
Customs officials said that raids are being conducted at several places, including Khanna in Punjab as part of further investigation into the case.
Customs commissioner Vrindaba Gohil said, “On March 3, a Dubai-Chandigarh Indigo Flight No 6E56 landed at Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport. The customs officers deployed at the airport had shortlisted a 30-year-old passenger based on analysis of Advance Passenger Information System (APIS) and intercepted him. The officers detected and recovered 18 bars of 1kg each of pure gold bearing marking “ETIHAD GOLD DUBAI UAE” having 995.0 purity.”
Gohil also added, “The contraband gold was packed in a tiny hand-held bag which the passenger cleverly thrusted into one of his checked-in bags after collecting them from the baggage conveyor belt.
The market value of the seized gold is Rs 10,28,16,000. The passenger was a first-time traveller to Dubai.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/gold-worth-rs-10-28-crore-seized-from-dubai-returned-passenger-at-chandigarh-airport/articleshow/98412495.cms?from=mdr
RAK confiscates 214,000 counterfeit clothes from 28 fashion brands
Ras Al Khaimah, UAE: Anti-counterfeiting operatives of the Department of Economic Development (DED) and Police in Ras Al Khaimah seized 214,000 pieces of knock-off clothing with an original value of Dh91 million from a warehouse during the first quarter of 2023.
The enforcement action followed immediately upon the discovery of counterfeit goods and complaints filed by a legal entity entrusted by the trademark owners in the emirate.
Representatives of the brand owners reported the existence of a warehouse in one of the districts of the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah containing counterfeit clothing bearing the logos of 28 international brands.
Faisal Elyoun, Director of the Department of Control and Commercial Protection, explained that the department had received a complaint stating that a company from outside the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah was practicing commercial fraud by storing counterfeit goods in abandoned warehouses inside the emirate.
https://gulfnews.com/uae/crime/rak-confiscates-214000-counterfeit-clothes-from-28-fashion-brands-1.1677738667868
Palghar: Illegal liquor worth ₹48 lakh seized by excise dept, two held (WATCH)
Two individuals were taken into custody, and the investigation was ongoing.
According to an official, a seizure of Indian-Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) worth ₹48 lakh took place in Maharashtra’s Palghar district on Wednesday.
The Konkan flying squad of the Maharashtra excise department intercepted a tempo at Talasari, where it was discovered that the IMFL, meant only for sale in the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, was being transported to Palghar district.
The tempo was stopped near Khanvel Udhva Road, and 400 boxes of liquor from various brands, hidden under bags of sawdust, were confiscated.
Two individuals were taken into custody, and the investigation was ongoing.
https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/palghar-illegal-liquor-worth-48-lakh-seized-by-excise-dept-two-held-watch
Police seize 20 tonnes of counterfeit goods in Manchester raids
Police have seized around 20 tonnes of counterfeit goods in raids on shops masquerading as legitimate businesses.
Officers said the goods, seized from 12 units in Cheetham Hill and Strangeways in Manchester, are worth millions of pounds to criminal groups.
The items, including trainers and coats, are to be recycled and changed into usable items for the community.
The raid formed part of Operation Vulcan, which is targeting fake designer goods in the city.
Greater Manchester Police Sgt Daniel Cullum said work was under way to “seek out and arrest” the individuals who had been distributing and selling the items.
He added: “We have had amazing success in stamping out these counterfeit stores but there are a few units remaining that are still attempting to operate in the area.
“We will be targeting these premises imminently and as the shops start to disappear, we will be targeting those higher up the chain who for so long have felt above the law and out of reach.”
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-manchester-64784988
1,912 bottles of IMFL seized, 2 held
According to the release, Raval was caught in possession of 1,372 bottles of IMFL that he acquired along with six others from Methipura and Dantiwada in Banaskantha and areas such as Sanchore and Abu road in Rajasthan.
As many as 1,912 bottles of Indian made English liquor (IMFL) were seized and two persons were arrested by the Ahmedabad Crime Branch, according to a press release issued Thursday.
AD Parmar, inspector at the detection of crime branch police station, said, “After an information, we arrested Jitendra alias Jitu Raval, 43, a resident of Ranip area in the city on Tuesday, and Bhiyaram Chaudhary, 29, a resident of Odhav area on Wednesday.” The former was taken into custody on Wednesday and the latter on Thursday, for two days.
According to the release, Raval was caught in possession of 1,372 bottles of IMFL that he acquired along with six others from Methipura and Dantiwada in Banaskantha and areas such as Sanchore and Abu road in Rajasthan.
https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/ahmedabad/1912-bottles-of-imfl-seized-2-held-8463210/
DRI seizes 101kg gold smuggled from Nepal to Mumbai
MUMBAI: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized 101kg gold worth Rs 51 crore, foreign currency of Rs 74 lakh value and Rs 63 lakh in Indian currency in Operation ‘Golden Dawn’ spanning Mumbai, Pune and Patna and arrested 10 persons, including seven Sudanese nationals.
The gold, mostly in paste form, was smuggled through the Indo-Nepal border to Patna in Bihar and was to be reached by train or air to mainly Mumbai and other parts of the country. Gold smuggling has seen a surge due to the traditional high demand in the country coupled with rising prices and steep import duty on the yellow metal.
On Sunday, three Sudanese were intercepted while boarding a train to Mumbai from Patna station. Gold paste with gold of over 37kg in 40 packets were recovered from specially made cavities in the sleeveless jackets worn by them. DRI believes one of them is the handler coordinating the smuggling activity at the border and arranging for supply. This consignment was to be delivered to a person in Colaba.
On Monday, two Sudanese women were intercepted in Pune as they were travelling from Hyderabad to Mumbai in a bus and over five and a half kg of gold in assorted forms were recovered from their hand bags. On the same day, two more Sudanese nationals travelling to Mumbai from Patna were stopped at a railway station in Mumbai and gold paste with 39kg gold in 40 packets were recovered.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/dri-seizes-101kg-gold-smuggled-from-nepal-to-mumbai/articleshow/98134435.cms
Capacity Building Programme for Officers of Assam Rifles on Prevention of Counterfeiting and Smuggling
February 21, 2023 | Dimapur, Nagaland
Assam Rifles is committed to working with all central and state agencies to combat illegal trade and smuggling in the North-east. FICCI CASCADE lauds Assam Rifles’ successful interception of products such as illicit cigarettes, liquor, currency, contrabands and many more in the recent past in the Northeastern states. To engage and sensitize the officers on the subject of counterfeiting and smuggling, FICCI CASCADE organised a Capacity Building Programme for the officers of Assam Riffles on 21st February 2023 at Assam Rifles Training Centre & School, Dimapur, Nagaland.
Brigadier S K Sheoran, YSM, SM, Deputy Inspector General, Assam Rifles Training, Centre and School, Dimapur, Nagaland was the chief guest at the programme. Brigadier Sheoran stated that the government has given power to the Assam Rifles under the Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances (NDPS), Act to keep a check on the ongoing increase in drug trafficking in the North-Eastern states. Drugs, cigarettes, arms and ammunition and betel nuts are few products which are frequently smuggled into our country. There is a need for stringent punishment and to inculcate a fear of law enforcement agencies and law and order to curtail the problem of illicit trade.
Brigadier Sheoran cited that the only way to stop smuggling at the border is to stay alert and have suspicious eye on everything coming in the country especially because of the porous and unfenced border India share with Myanmar, added Brigadier Sheoran. He apprised that smuggling and counterfeit trade hold back progress, impact health of the economy and create safety hazards for consumers. Therefore, significant steps should be taken against illicit traders to battle the menace of smuggling.
While giving an overview on socio-economic impact of counterfeiting and smuggling, Mr Deep Chand, Advisor, FICCI CASCADE and Former Special Commissioner of Police, New Delhi mentioned that Assam Rifles proactive vigilance in intercepting the movement of smuggled products is a definitive step towards putting the fear in the hearts of smugglers who deal in illicit trade activities. “The capacity building program is aimed to sensitize the officers of Assam Rifles on the gravity of the issue and amplify the need for a greater focus on combatting smuggling and related crimes at the border”, said Mr. Chand.
Mr. Avinash Sinha, Regional, Manager, Industry Affairs (East), ITC Ltd. accentuated that among the illicit & smuggled goods, cigarettes have emerged as one of the most lucrative products, witnessing the highest jump in the recent past, and it accounts for 1/3rd of the legal cigarette market in the country. It calls for heightened surveillance and stricter enforcement to curb the menace of illegal cigarettes in India added, Mr. Sinha.
Mr. Milind Palany, Senior Manager, Global Brand Protection, Southern Asia and ANZ, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Health opined that in India smuggling, counterfeiting, tax evasion and illicit trade is impacting legitimate economic activity. It also deprives the government’s revenues for investment in vital public services, dislocating millions of legitimate jobs and causing irreversible damage to ecosystems and human lives. This is critical at a time when India is making strong progress to become a manufacturing hub for the world, supporting innovation in every sector and focusing on people-centric development models.
Ms. Shamin Marwah Anand, Legal Manager, Marico Limited talked about the consequences of counterfeits, which are considerable, and they affect industry, consumers, government and society. “Individual consumers purchasing counterfeit goods are denied the use of safe and genuine products, especially if they believe they are purchasing legitimate products. In addition to legitimate loss of sales, companies may suffer loss of reputation from poorly performing counterfeit product and that finally entities like government may suffer from loss of revenue, societies may suffer risks to public health and safety”, said Ms. Anand.
The programme witnessed an enthusiastic participation of more than 500 officers from across the north-eastern states.
Media Coverage- Capacity Building Programme for Officers of Assam RiflesDownload Pdf
Counterfeit products worth over ₹40 crore seized during July 2020 – Sept. 2021 in India: HP
GUWAHATI: The Government Railway Police (GRP) of Guwahati railway station recovered gold biscuits and 4.89 kg of opium from two trains on Tuesday and arrested two persons.
As per reports, during regular checking, a GRP team recovered four pieces of gold weighing about 1 kg from two persons from Tejas Express at Guwahati railway station.
Four pieces of gold weighing about 1 kg worth ₹58 lakh was recovered from the suspected smugglers.
The two accused have been identified to be hailing from Manipur and were travelling to Delhi.
Meanwhile, in a separate operation on Tuesday, an abandoned bag was recovered from inside a train at Guwahati railway station, the GRP said, adding that it contained five packets of suspected opium worth ₹25 lakh and weighing about 4.89 kg, stated report.
“We have recovered four pieces of gold weighing about 1 kg from two persons. The market value of the seized gold is estimated at ₹58 lakh. The two persons hailing from Manipur were travelling to Delhi. In a separate operation, we recovered an abandoned bag inside a train at Guwahati railway station. During the search, we found five packets of suspected opium weighing about 4.89 kg. The market value of the seized opium is estimated at ₹25 lakh. Further investigation is underway,” Officer-in-Charge, GRP Guwahati, Prasenjit Das said as per reports.
https://www.guwahatiplus.com/guwahati/gold-opium-worth-over-rs70-lakh-recovered-at-guwahati-railway-station