Over 12 million illegal cigarettes and thousands of litres of alcohol taken off the streets
More than 12 million illegal cigarettes, thousands of litres of alcohol and 2,000 kilos of tobacco have been taken off the streets.
The incredible amount of illegal products has all been seized from across Yorkshire within nine months.
Officers from HMRC’s Mobile Enforcement Team (MET) seized 12.2 million cigarettes and 2,032 kilos of hand-rolling tobacco.
It was all worth more than £5.2 million, from shops, storage units, lorry trailers and homes across the county between April and December in 2019.
The team also seized more than 7,000 litres of illicit alcohol and 52 vehicles illegally running on red diesel, and took action against several registered oil dealers.
https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/local-news/over-12-million-illegal-cigarettes-17793124
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C-TOC seizes over $7 million worth of counterfeit goods MoBay
Members of the Counter-Terrorism and Organised Crime (CTOC) arm of the police force, acting on intelligence, carried out a raid at a store in Montego Bay, St James on Thursday, during which they seized counterfeit goods valued at over $7 million.
The raid, which was carried out at a store operated by Chinese nationals on Barnett Street, netted shoes, bags and other items.
Speaking with reporters, Assistant Superintendent Victor Barrett revealed that charges are coming for the store operators.
“Our intelligence is suggesting that there might be other locations, so we are continuing our investigation,” said Barrett. He warned shoppers that the purchasing of counterfeit items is facilitating a breach of the copyright law.
“I would encourage the public that they should be careful when shopping for items. They should look out for the three ‘Ps’: the place in which you are buying, the price, and the product. Look at the packaging,” he warned.
https://www.loopjamaica.com/content/c-toc-seizes-over-7-million-worth-counterfeit-goods-mobay
Lear MoreAlmost 90,000 illegal cigarettes seized from van on Freeman Street.
Around 90,000 illegal cigarettes have been seized from a van following a raid on Freeman Street.
North East Lincolnshire Council Trading Standards and Humberside Police raided a business on the East Marsh street after receiving information that there had been suspicious activity with cigarettes being passed from one vehicle to the other.
Officers found one of the vehicles that they had been alerted to and searched it, finding 89,860 cigarettes and 1Kg of rolling tobacco. All of the tobacco and 79,900 of the cigarettes are thought to be fake.
The cigarettes had an estimated street value of £20,000, and would have been worth £47,500, if sold legitimately. Councillor Ron Shepherd, portfolio holder for safer and stronger communities, said: “Credit to the officers who seized these illicit tobacco products and to Humberside Police for their continued support.
“This is the latest in a series of operations carried out by our Trading Standards officers to uncover this illicit trade. “This seizure means that since July 2019 we have seized 159,360 cigarettes and 149 pouches of tobacco.
https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/news/grimsby-news/almost-90000-illegal-cigarettes-seized-3868048
Lear MoreST bus found carrying 30 booze bottles.
Abag containing Indian made foreign liquor (IMFL) was seized from a Volvo bus of GSRTC in Kodinar and the driver of the bus arrested. The bus was on the route from Diu to Mundra.
As per Anirudhsinh Jadeja, GSRTC Rajkot depo manager, “Rajkot divison’s GSRTC Volvo bus operates on the route from the Union Territory of Diu to Mundra in Kutch. Today the bus started at its usual timing at 4 pm. The bus reached Kodinar on its regular route.
However, at Kodinar it was found that there was a consignment of illegal alcohol bottles in the trunk of the bus.
VV Parmar, DSO at Kodinar police station said “The depo manager of Kodinar bus station, Purvi Dangar, came to know that there was a parcel of alcohol bottles in the bus. She immediately stopped the bus and called the police, which reached the spot at 8.20 pm. The Kodinar police found 30 bottles of alcohol from the bus, which included 15 bottles of whiskey and 15 bottles of Smirnoff Vodka. The driver of the bus, Chetan Ranchhodbhai Rathod (30), was arrested.”
Opinion: It’s time to call a fake a fake.
The Indian automotive industry went through some tough times in the year 2019. The double digit de-growth and unprecedented slowdown were a result of several contributing factors. Among these, the growth of the Indian counterfeit auto parts market adversely affected the auto industry.
As recorded by the Authentication Solution Providers’ Association (ASPA), the Indian counterfeit auto parts market was worth Rs 1 lakh crore in 2019. Despite many attempts at solving this problem, the fake auto parts market is unfortunately thriving in India and the ongoing slowdown has led to many OEMs struggling to find a solution for the same.
According to a FICCI-Cascade report, counterfeiting in the auto sector results in tax revenue loss of about Rs 2,200 crore to the government.
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New US anti-counterfeit legislation to kill fake trade across the ASEAN region.
Counterfeit product sales are at an epidemic level and it seems unstoppable. The international trade in non-domestic counterfeit and pirated products equates to $509 billion annually and growing . This represents up to 3.3% of world trade. Alarmingly it is a growing trend, showing a 10.5 per cent increase on the previous 2013 figures. Also, according to US Customs & Border Protection data, over 75 percent of goods seized between 2004 and 2009 were manufactured [in China].
I think it’s fair to say that this growth in counterfeit sales is driven by two things, consumer demand and efficient channels to market. From a consumer perspective, buying a fake product seems like a win for the buyer and a ‘no foul’ transaction. The reality is far more sinister. First of all because counterfeit products can be dangerous and even deadly. For instance, FICCI CASCADE, an industry body in India estimates that “Nearly 20 per cent of accidents on Indian roads are caused by counterfeit auto-products. Further in the FMCG sector, 30 percent of goods sold are fake and 80 per cent of consumers believe that they are using genuine products.” Additionally, proceeds from counterfeiting are used to fund illegal and terrorist activities. Most disturbingly, it is reported that forced child labour is used in the manufacture of fake luxury and other goods. With witnesses seeing first-hand children chained, mutilated and underfed while working long hours. Counterfeit sales also have a knock-on impact on reduced jobs and stifling innovation, which is bad for society as a whole.
Textiles sector vulnerable to increasing counterfeiting.
Ramesh Chand Meena, Minister for Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Government of Rajasthan, today said that crimes related to counterfeiting and smuggling have increased across the world.
He made the observation while speaking at FICCI CASCADE (Committee Against Smuggling and Counterfeiting Activities Destroying the Economy) seminar on ‘Containing Counterfeiting and Smuggling – A Step Towards Prosperous Nation Building’.
“Counterfeiting and smuggling related crimes have increased manifold in the global market resulting in revenue loss to government and businesses and adversely impacting the health and safety of the consumers” Mr Meena said.
Extending his support, the Minister sought close collaboration with FICCI CASCADE to address the issue. The seminar discussed the importance of increased awareness on the hazards of counterfeiting and smuggling, and need for effective enforcement to enhance India?s economic development.
KL Jain, Member, FICCI Rajasthan State Council & Honorary Secretary General, RCCI, said that illicit trade has a serious decelerating effect on growth which must be curbed substantially. Consumers must be emphasized on taking a bill on every purchase for making India a tax compliant nation and encouraging citizens to be a part of progressive nation building.
http://www.smetimes.in/smetimes/news/top-stories/2020/Feb/17/counterfeiting-textiles50625.html
Lear MoreHong Kong Customs seize counterfeit US-bound goods
Hong Kong Customs has seized some 10,000 counterfeit products destined for the US in a targeted operation to combat cross-boundary counterfeiting activities.
The goods had an estimated street value of about HKD1.1 million (US$141,000), were seized, including medicines, mobile phones, handbags, shoes and clothing.
The seizures resulted from a sharing of intelligence with US regulatory authorities, something Hong Kong Customs says it expects to continue as it targets cross-boundary counterfeiting activities to a variety of other countries.
Under Hong Kong’s Trade Descriptions Ordinance, anyone who imports or exports goods with a forged trademark commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of HKD500,000 ($64,400) and imprisonment for five years.
https://insideretail.asia/2020/02/05/hong-kong-customs-seize-counterfeit-us-bound-goods/
Lear MoreConsignment of cosmetics seized at Ctg port.
Officials of Chattogram Custom House yesterday seized a consignment of cosmetics.
Customs officials said they would be able to ascertain exact value of the seized product in a day or two.
For the clearing preparation the tax rate are 53 percent while for cosmetics it stands up to 127 percent, officials said.
Dhaka-based Fatema International has declared 24 tonnes of clearing preparation from Thailand, which assigned OSL Trade Pvt Ltd to release the consignment.
Nur-A-Hasna Sanjida Anushua, assistance commissioner of customs, said the importers and C&F agents were announced as clearing preparation.
“We notified the importer and the C&F agent several times to take the consignment after physical examination but they refused to do so every time,” she added.
https://www.thedailystar.net/city/news/consignment-cosmetics-seized-ctg-port-1863724
Lear More7,142 bottles of illegal cough syrup seized in Ahmedabad.
AHMEDABAD: Kagdapith police on Saturday night seized 7,142 bottles worth Rs 7,64,000 of different brands ofcough syrup containing codeine from Devanshi Pan Parlour in Behrampura and from a rented house in Suvrna Rukha Society in Danilimda.
Inspector U D Jadeja of Kagdapith police station said they have arrested the shopowner, Pankaj Danagar, while the supplier of the stuff, Bharat Chaudhary, is on the run.
“We have registered a case under sections 8C, 21C and 29 of NDPS act. We are looking for Chaudhary who is the kingpin of the racket,” said Jadeja. Police sources said that with booze in short supply, alcoholics have begun turning to cough syrups to get their kicks.
“On Saturday evening, following up on a tip-off, we sent a decoy to the pan parlour. The owner gave our man a cough syrup without a bill or prescription. We raided the shop and found 21 bottles,” said sub-inspector K A Jadeja. During the shopowner’s interrogation, he revealed that cough syrup bottles containing codeine were stocked at his rented house. “Dangar also confessed that Chaudhary used to supply the cough syrup to him,” said a police official.