Operation Thunder 2020: India Customs intercepts 18 tonnes red sandalwood
The India Customs intercepted an 18-tonne shipment of red sandalwood destined for the United Arab Emirates, during a month-long “Operation Thunder 2020”, coordinated by the Interpol and the World Customs Organisation, which involved law enforcement agencies in 103 countries.
The operation against environmental crime was held from September 14 to October 11. It resulted in large seizures of protected wildlife and forestry specimens and products, triggering arrests and investigations worldwide, said the Interpol. “Focusing on pre-identified routes and hotspots, ‘Operation Thunder 2020’ resulted in more than 2,000 seizures of wildlife and forestry products. In total, 699 offenders were apprehended and at least one Interpol Red Notice has already been requested based on information gained during the operation. Further arrests and prosecutions are anticipated as ongoing global investigations progress,” it said.
The participating countries focused mainly on the species protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. Mexican law enforcement rescued an adult female white tiger, a jaguar and a four-month old lion cub in Sinaloa. “In Cameroon, customs officers seized 187 raw elephant tusks from a truck crossing the border from Gabon. In total, 56,200 kg of marine products were seized during Operation Thunder 2020,” said the Interpol, adding that the Peruvian police seized a shipment of 11 tonnes of mutilated sharks.
Lear MoreMillions of fake cigarettes and 100kg of illegal tobacco seized as part of crackdown during Covid-19 pandemic.
Almost two million fake cigarettes and more than 100kg of illegal hand rolling tobacco have been seized across Greater Manchester during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The illegal tobacco industry, as well as the world of organised crime which feeds off it, has continued to thrive throughout lockdown.
All tobacco sold locally as ‘duty-free’ will almost certainly be illegal, enforcement officers in the city-region have warned.
But police and local authorities are fighting back to expose the illegal tobacco market in Greater Manchester by acting on intelligence provided by the public.
Between March and October this year trading standards were alerted to 207 reports of fake tobacco being sold across the conurbation.
Subsequent seizures by trading standards officers led to a bountiful haul of illicit goods, including the largest ever single seizure in Greater Manchester.
Lear MoreWest Bengal: Gold biscuits worth Rs 12 crore seized, 3 held
SILIGURI: A joint team of Darjeeling police and excise department arrested three persons with 130 gold biscuits at Chekurmai under Kharibari block on Bengal-Bihar border on Monday.
The haul, weighing over 21kg, is estimated to be worth more than Rs 12 crore.
The accused have been identified as Mumbai residents Shashikant Sankpal (29) and Anil Gumadi (40), and their Siliguri-based car driver Md Afroh. The three will be produced in court on Tuesday.
Darjeeling SP Santosh Nimbalkar said the arrest was made during a “normal nakabandi” on Bengal-Bihar border. “The gold biscuits precisely weigh 21.57kg. Each gold biscuit weighs around 166gm. The accused wi be produced in Siliguri court. Five mobile phones and some cash and documents have also been seized,” he added.
Sources in police said the biscuits had been smuggled into India through the Indo-Myanmarese border and were being taken to Bihar from Assam. The accused had booked a car from Siliguri to Chhapra.
Lear MoreMaharashtra: Counterfeit masks using leading brand’s name major concern for manufacturer; cases, raids in many cities
The issue of counterfeited masks holds public health concern. The masks seized during raids were made of inferior quality cloth with no quality checks to ensure they prevent exposure from virus.
One of India’s leading mask manufacturers Venus Safety and Health Private Ltd has issued at least 38 legal notices during the Covid-19 pandemic to owners of manufacturing units that produce counterfeit masks using the company’s brand name. As demand for masks continues in the pandemic, counterfeiting has remained an issue of concern.
“Everyone is making money in our name. The local manufacturer, distributor and retailer selling the mask,” said Mahesh Kudav, managing director of Venus. The company has registered seven cases where over 47,000 fake masks have been retrieved through police raids, and FIRs have been lodged across Delhi, Ghaziabad, Bengaluru, Kolkata, and Mumbai.
Lear MoreMinneapolis customs officials seize $41,500 of counterfeit smartphone accessories
U.S. border officials say they confiscated more than $41,500 worth of counterfeit phone accessories from Hong Kong bound for a Minnesota recipient.
In a release Monday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said the fake Apple and Samsung accessories were flagged by customs officials due to poor quality and incorrect packaging. CBP officials in Minneapolis inspected the shipment and found the items to be fake.
The items were labeled as Samsung phone cases, iPhone phone cases and iPhone adapters. If the merchandise was real, the total MSRP value would be $41,500.
“Substandard and illegal products harm the U.S. economy and the health and safety of consumers, in particular, the adapters can be exceptionally dangerous,” said Augustine Moore, Area Port Director-Minneapolis. “Once again our CBP officers at the Port of Minnesota have demonstrated their exceptional skill and superior commodity expertise.”
Lear MoreCoupang hit for selling fake luxury goods.
The country’s top online retailer Coupang has been hit for not properly monitoring the sales of fake luxury products on its platform.
The Korea Watch & Clock Industry Cooperative (KOWIC) filed a claim against Coupang for damages after small- and medium-sized companies suffered from flourishing fake Rolex sales there.
The cooperative body said 684 imitation luxury watches are sold on Coupang and their prices range from 200,000 won to 300,000 won. Prices for an original entry-level Rolex watch start at 10 million won.
“The current law only punishes dealers who sell fake products and not the retailers including Coupang. This system is only hurting small- and medium-sized firms here that are making watches fair and square,” KOWIC wrote in a press release.
KOWIC said local fashion watchmakers selling products in the same price range as the fake luxury watches lost billions of won due to counterfeiting.
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/tech/2020/11/694_298851.html
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Chennai Customs seize 1.31 kg smuggled gold
The Customs Department here on Sunday said it has seized 1.31 kg gold worth Rs 70.7 lakh while it was being smuggled.
CHENNAI: The Customs Department here on Sunday said it has seized 1.31 kg gold worth Rs 70.7 lakh while it was being smuggled into the country by six persons on Sunday and Saturday.
In a statement issued here, the Commissioner of Customs, Chennai International Airport said that Mohammed Asif and Mohamed Sharif arrived by Air India Express and Indigo flights respectively.
On personal search of Asif, two packets containing gold paste weighing 140 grams were recovered from his pocket from which 123 grams of gold of 24k purity weighing was extracted.
One 30 gram gold cut bit was also recovered from his pocket. The Customs recovered two bundles of gold paste weighing 419 grams was recovered from Sharif rectum which on extraction yielded 359 grams of gold.
https://www.sentinelassam.com/national-news/chennai-customs-seize-131-kg-smuggled-gold-510752
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Smuggled gold, hidden in knee cuff and slippers, seized at KIA
Customs officials at the Kempegowda International Airport here seized a substantial amount of gold being smuggled by three different inbound overseas passengers between Thursday evening and Friday night. The arrests were made following tip-offs by the customs’ air intelligence unit.
On Thursday, officials seized around 2.37 kg of crude gold by intercepting Kodagu native Mohammed, 25, as he arrived from Dubai. He had concealed the gold in the paste form in a knee cuff. Upon melting, the gold weight reduced to 1.43 kg, which is worth around Rs 73 lakh.
n Friday, officials caught Venkatesh, a native of Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh, as he allegedly smuggled a 150-gram gold chain worth around Rs 7.78 lakh on his way back from Kuwait.
The third case involved a Honnavar resident, Mohammed Ashraf, on Friday. Ashraf, who was flying out of Dubai, had hidden gold paste in his slippers. The paste weighed about 399 grams. Upon melting, officials were able to retrieve around 250 grams of gold, worth around Rs 12.77 lakh. Three separate cases of gold smuggling have been registered.
Lear MoreMan held for smuggling Rs 27L foreign currency
The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has nabbed a man for allegedly smuggling foreign currency worth Rs 27 lakhs at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport.
The accused has been identified as Aashkin, an Indian National.
According to CISF officials, on November 4, on the basis of behaviour detection, the CISF surveillance and intelligence team of IGI Airport noticed suspicious activities of a passenger in the check-in area of Terminal- 3.
“The passenger was diverted to a random checking point near departure gate No.05 for thorough checking. During x-ray screening of his bag, the CISF personnel noticed suspicious images of currency notes concealed in the false bottom of his bag. The passenger was allowed for check-in and kept under close watch physically as well as electronically. The concerned airline was also intimated to hold his registered bag,” said the official.
https://www.dailypioneer.com/2020/state-editions/man-held-for-smuggling-rs-27l-foreign-currency.html
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EC seizes 7.79L litre liquor in dry Bihar
The enforcement agencies are making headlines in Mumbai for going after Bollywood actors for possession and consumption of even small amount of narcotic substances, but in poll-bound Bihar the quantum of seizure has failed to grab eyeballs though the amount is baffling.
The authorities have seized a large quantity of ganja, marijuana, poppy, tobacco, and cannabis showing why prohibition has become such a big issue in Assembly polls this time. Over 7.79 lakh litre liquor, 4871.99 kg ganja, 108 kg marijuana (charas), 1.5 kg heroine, 40 kg tobacco, 3,350 kg cannabis (bhang), 12.50 kg poppy, and 150 gram brown sugar have been seized by the Election Commission so far till the voting of second phase of polls in Bihar.
In addition, the EC has also seized `24.84 crore unaccounted money, over `90 lakh Nepalese currency, 19.68 kg gold and precious ornaments, 275 kg silver.
In a related development, Janata Dal (United) MLA from Matihani, Narendra Kumar Singh, alias Bogo Singh, was arrested late on Monday in Begusarai district for allegedly distributing money to voters’ hours before polling began in the second phase of the Assembly election.
https://www.dailypioneer.com/2020/pioneer-exclusive/ec-seizes-7-79l-litre-liquor-in-dry-bihar.html
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