WHO identifies fake Covishield in India, Uganda
Some unpalatable news for the country’s nationwide vaccination drive has surfaced. The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified counterfeit versions of Covishield in India and Uganda. As per a global news agency report, the doses were seized by authorities in India and Uganda between July and August. Even vaccine maker Serum Institute of India has confirmed to the WHO that the vaccines were fake.
Now, the WHO has issued a Medical Product Alert about counterfeit Covishield vaccines circulating in the two countries.
“The genuine manufacturer of Covishield (Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd.) has confirmed that the products listed in this alert are falsified. These falsified products have been reported at the patient level in Uganda and India,” the WHO said.
It said the products were confirmed as falsified on the basis that they deliberately/fraudulently misrepresent their identity, composition or source.
The counterfeit Covishield vial detected in Uganda was a 5 ml dosage form containing 10 doses. It had a batch number 4121Z040 and the falsified expiry date of August 10.
https://www.dailypioneer.com/2021/page1/who-identifies-fake-covishield-in-india–uganda.html
Lear MoreSpurious foreign liquor manufacturing unit unearthed in Odisha, 8 held
Berhampur (Odisha), Aug 19 (PTI) A spurious foreign liquor manufacturing unit was unearthed in Odisha”s Ganjam district on Thursday and eight people were arrested in this connection, police said.
Acting on a tip-off, a team of policemen conducted a search operation at Kamalabari Street here and recovered a huge quantity of materials used for making adulterated liquor.
At least eight people, allegedly involved in manufacturing of spurious India Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) at the unit, were apprehended, and two others managed to escape from the spot, an officer said.
The raid was conducted by the Aska Police Station in association with the Bada Bazar Police, he said.
Huge quantities of adulterated foreign liquor, spirit, colour, tomato paste, syringe, stickers of different brands, plastic jars, weight machine among others were seized from the spot, Aska Police Station inspector in-charge PK Sahoo said.
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Five held for printing and circulating fake Indian Currency Notes
A racket of printing and circulating Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) was busted by police here on Thursday who took into custody five members of a gang in this connection.
The racket is believed to have been operating for the past two months from Siddipet town of Telangana. Police seized counterfeit currency notes with a face value of Rs 16 lakh from the possession of the five gang members.
They were nabbed near Yousufguda check post where they came with the fake notes to sell them to needy customers, Hyderabad Police Commissioner Anjani Kumar said.
The gang was printing and circulating counterfeit currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 200 denomination, police said, adding they also seized one printer-cum-scanner and a laptop.
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250 bottles of liquor seized on Air India charter flight to Leh
Leh: Excise officers have seized over 250 bottles of liquor that were allegedly smuggled into Leh from Delhi on an Air India charter flight and arrested three people, including a contractual employee of the national carrier, officials said on Wednesday. Acting on inputs, the seizure was made on Tuesday from two cars outside the airport, they said.”There were eight cartons carrying around 170 bottles of liquor and about 100 beer bottles. The cartons had Air India charter flight’s tag on them,” an official said.
A contractual employee of Air India and two more people have been arrested in connection with the case, the officials said, adding that the cars have also been seized. The excise officials have sought information from senior Air India staff at Leh about the attempted smuggling, they said.
They have also sought details from Air India about the passengers on the basis of the luggage tags, the officials said. Describing the modus operandi, they said that liquor bottles are sold to private hotels in Ladakh at higher prices as there is a shortage in the Union Territory.
https://www.thenorthlines.com/250-bottles-of-liquor-seized-on-air-india-charter-flight-to-leh/
Lear MoreIn Conversation programme with Lt Gen Pradeep Chandran Nair, AVSM, YSM, DG, Assam Rifles
17/08/2021
Border forces are critical stakeholders in combating cross border illegal trading activities. On one hand, while open borders facilitate travel and trade, they also make border control more challenging due to the emerging new forms of cross border crimes. Hence, it becomes vital that officers at the borders are prepared to identify possible suspects and their victims in such ill-intentioned crimes. To understand and deliberate on issues of cross-border smuggling in India, preparedness of the government and initiatives taken by Assam Rifles to combat this menace, Lt Gen Pradeep Chandran Nair, AVSM, YSM, DG, Assam Rifles joined for an ‘In Conversation Series’ programme of FICCI’s Committee Against Smuggling and Counterfeiting Activities Destroying the Economy (CASCADE) on 17th August 2021. This initiative is a unique forum where eminent guests and subject matter experts discuss and share insights on the various facets of illicit trade, through an interesting, candid conversation.
During the conversation Lt Gen P C Nair said, “Assam Rifles as the Border Guarding Force has been at the helm of affairs to counter the illegal trade along the 1643 km of porous and unfenced border of India-Myanmar. The whole region is of great importance from the economic and strategic point of view and will determine the future growth and development of the region provided necessary steps and initiatives as designed are executed under the ACT EAST POLICY”.
Speaking on the menace of smuggling and illicit trade, Lt Gen P C Nair said, “the Force in the year 2020 seized Rs 857 Cr of illegally traded goods and in 2021, it has already seized illegal goods worth Rs 746 Cr. approx. These seizures are despite the ongoing trade which is alarming and overwhelming, detrimental to national development and India’s Act East Policy”.
He further added that Assam Rifles continues to honour & execute the given mandate in letter and spirit and takes pride in being one of the finest outfits of the nation. The Force is committed to working in synergy with all Central and State agencies to combat illegal trade and smuggling towards its rightful end.
Mr. Deep Chand, Former Special Commissioner of Police, New Delhi, and Advisor, FICCI CASCADE while in conversation with Lt Gen P C Nair said “Illicit trade across the borders is impacting the social fabric of nations; India in particular is a victim of large-scale smuggling. This web of illicit trade has entangled not only the legal industry and governments, but also the consumers who are exposed to grave risks to life and security”.
Mr. Anil Rajput, Chairman, FICCI CASCADE welcomed the guests and congratulated Lt Gen P C Nair and the brave hearts of his force who have been determined to protect the infiltration of illicit goods into our country while maintaining security across the borders. He emphasised that the proactive vigilance of the officers of Assam Rifles in intercepting the movement of smuggled goods was a definitive step towards putting fear in the hearts of those who dealt in such illicit trading. Highlighting the linkages of organised crime and illicit trade, Mr Rajput expressed his concern on how the proceeds from illicit trade were increasingly becoming the main source of terror funding. He emphasised on the need to understand this relationship and to work towards effective mechanisms to counter its impact.
FICCI CASCADE has been over the years working closely with government, industry, enforcement officials, legal fraternity, consumer organizations and the youth to create awareness on the adverse impact of the problem of counterfeiting and smuggling. Among other activities, FICCI CASCADE has been regularly engaging with law enforcement agencies including police, customs and paramilitary organizations engaged in border protection in sensitizing them on the gravity of the problem.
Watch the session at: https://youtu.be/o81nEVVJk9s
Dubai Police seize counterfeits worth Dh9.3 billion in 5 years
The Dubai Police seized counterfeits worth Dh9.3 billion over the last five years. A special police unit recorded 2,235 economic crime cases during this period.
Colonel Omar bin Hammad, acting director of the Anti-Economic Crime Department, said the cases varied from commercial fraud, counterfeiting, scams promising multiplication of money, sorcery, and forgery.
This year so far, the unit has recorded 315 cases, involving 394 accused. The police seized items worth over Dh1.73 billion.
Brigadier Jamal Salem Al Jallaf, director of the General Department of Criminal Investigations, said the police coordinate with trademark owners to monitor and prevent the sale of counterfeits.
https://www.khaleejtimes.com/news/dubai-police-seize-counterfeits-worth-dh93-billion-in-5-years
Lear MoreMumbai: Two held for selling fake mobile products
Police said the accused would sell these as original parts of branded mobile phones across the country and dupe customers.
The crime branch of Mumbai Police arrested two people and seized fake mobile phone equipment like batteries, stickers, headphones and packaging worth Rs 1.7 crore from a workshop in Nagpada.
Police said the accused would sell these as original parts of branded mobile phones across the country and dupe customers.
An officer from the crime branch, which conducted the raid, said a police team conducted raid on a workshop at Lakda bazaar in Nagpada on Thursday based on a tip-off.
The team found fake goods being rebranded as products of various brands at the facility. These were then sold across the country at cheap rates.
An FIR was registered on charges of cheating and relevant sections of the Copyright Act. An officer said they believe more people are involved with the racket.
Lear MoreIndore: Liquor bottles worth Rs 30L crushed under road roller
Mhow (fpns) : Illegal liquor worth more than Rs 30 lakh seized by the district administration was crushed using a road roller near here on Friday, officials said.
The consignment, comprising 853 cartons of whiskey and beer bottles worth Rs 30.38 lakh, was seized in Mhow tehsil of Indore district in 2014, they said.
Police had pleaded with the district administration to destroy the consignment gathering dust at their godown since the last seven years.
Acting on their request, collector Manish Singh got the liquor stock crushed by the road roller at a ground in Mhow, the officials said.
The liquor that came under the road roller included 500 boxes of Adverse Beer (24 cans in each box), 500 ml beer in each can, 30 boxes Aristocrat Premium Whiskey English Liquor 12 glass bottles in each box 750 ml wine in each bottle, 30 boxes DSP Black Whiskey English liquor 12 glass bottles in each box 750 ml wine in each bottle, 25 Boxes Green Label Whiskey English Liquor 12 Glass Bottles in Each Box 750 mL of Wine in Each Bottle, 20 Boxes Royal Stage Whiskey English Liquor Each Box of 48 Quarts Full of Glass, 180 Ml Wine in each quarter had gone.
The said liquor was destroyed by the members of the committee constituted by the collector at the trenching ground of Pasipura, Mhow.
https://www.freepressjournal.in/indore/indore-liquor-bottles-worth-rs-30lcrushed-under-road-roller
Lear MoreDelhi: Fake pesticide manufacturing plant busted, one arrested
The Delhi Police busted a spurious pesticide manufacturing plant on Roshanara Road under Subzi Mandi police station and arrested a man in this connection, officials said on Tuesday.
A complaint was lodged on August 4 by Vasudeo Yogi, General Manager (GM), Vigilance (Authorised Representative) of UPL Insecticides and Pesticides in Mumbai, that someone was using the trademark of his UPL products such as ‘Saaf’ and ‘Avert’ to produce counterfeit pesticides in large quantities.
Another complaint was lodged by Pradeep Sharma, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of True Buddy Consulting Private Limited in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, regarding the production of counterfeit pesticides manufactured by FMC, Bayer Crop Science and Syngenta India Limited in Delhi’s Roshanara area.
A police team was formed under the supervision of Harpal Singh, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), DIU. The team then raided the godown on Roshanara road and recovered duplicate pesticides worth Rs 50 lakh.
Total 1,055 units have been seized and the owner of the godown, Parveen Kumar, has been arrested, the police said.
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Delhi: Counterfeit goods found in factory at Rohini; police arrest owner
The owner told the police he manufactured products for 7-Eleven in India but incurred huge losses due to which he switched to making counterfeit products and sold them at local shops.
The Delhi Police busted a manufacturing unit in Delhi’s Rohini and seized 1,351 kg of counterfeit Surf Excel and Tide detergents. The accused was also selling inferior quality soaps, shampoos and face creams. The police said they found “duplicate” packets of Dove soaps, Head N Shoulder shampoos and branded creams at the unit.
On Sunday, the police said they received complaints from several FCMG companies about the counterfeit products. They were being sold at shops in Rohini and outer Delhi.
Pranav Tayal, DCP (Rohini), said a raid was conducted and the police found hundreds of packets and bottles of fake products.
“There were face creams, shampoos, detergents, bathroom cleaners and soaps. All the products were sold with brand names written on them. However, these were cheap quality chemicals and products,” said the police.
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