Huge consignment of liquor seized; one arrested
Mahasamund Police on Tuesday caught a man with 100 boxes of liquor worth Rs 5 lakh smuggled from Madhya Pradesh. Police also seized a Fortuner SUV and one SX4 car. Superintendent of Police Prafulla Kumar Thakur had directed the subordinate officials to keep an eye out for the liquor smuggled from other states. On his direction, ASP Megha Temburkar Sahu heightened up the vigil.
In the meantime, SP Mahasamund received an intelligence report about a large consignment of liquor from other State to Mahasamund. On the direction of ASP and SDO Police Mahasamund Narad Kumar Suryawanshi, City Kotwali Sher Singh Bande formed a team and on the night of June 29 Kotwali team set up picket points at every entry point to Mahasamund. At around 10 pm, a team at Ghodari Bridge learned about two suspected vehicles heading Mahasamund. A barricade were set-up at Belsonda Railway cross to stop these vehicles from safety point of view as seen in past that the smugglers don’t shy away from running over the police personnel.
Since the railway cross has a sharp turn, vehicles have to slow down at this barricading, and as the Fortuner car CG-04-HE-0003 was stopped, police surrounded it. Second vehicle, a SX4 attempted to escape by taking U-turn, but police grabbed them too. However, driver managed to flee from the spot taking advantage of the darkness.
https://www.thehitavada.com/Encyc/2020/7/1/Huge-consignment-of-liquor-seized-one-arrested.html
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CBP San Juan seizes 560 sets of counterfeit Apple AirPods.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) San Juan Field Operations announced Thursday the seizure of 560 sets of fake Apple AirPods imported into Puerto Rico from Hong Kong via air courier. Had these goods been genuine, the estimated manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP) of the seized goods would have been an approximately $111,440.
“This product is sought by consumers because of its convenience to operate a phone or computer,” indicated Leida Colon, Assistant Director of Field Operations for Trade. “Unfortunately, counterfeits like this do not withstand the use that consumers expect.”
Most of the seizures of counterfeit products in the San Juan Field Office are jewelry, footwear, clothing, and prescription drugs. The main source countries for most of these items are Hong Kong and China.
Recently, the San Juan Field Office also seized jewelry and watches, and 844 counterfeit alloy wheels.
The sale of counterfeit goods robs legitimate businesses of revenue, takes jobs from American workers, and poses health and safety threats to U.S. consumers. The proceeds from counterfeit merchandise sales often supports other nefarious and illicit businesses.
https://ajot.com/news/cbp-san-juan-seizes-560-sets-of-counterfeit-apple-airpods
Lear MorePolice seize North Korean-made clothing in Liaoning Province
Chinese police recently seized a large amount of clothing produced in a North Korean textile factory and smuggled into China’s Liaoning Province, Daily NK has learned.
“Early last month, clothing produced in the Unha Textile Factory was delivered to a trader in China’s Liaoning Province,” a source based in China told Daily NK on June 18. “The trader who received the clothing was arrested by the police and all of the clothing was confiscated.”
sNorth Korea is prohibited from exporting textile products (any fabric or clothing, including partial or finished goods) under United Nations Security Council Resolution 2375. The seizure of the clothing may be part of China’s attempts to adhere to the UN resolution.
According to the source, the total value of the seized clothing was approximately RMB 20 million (around USD 2,816,749).
The Unha Textile Factory was likely desperate to sell off its stock and recklessly attempted to smuggle the clothes into China, the source speculated.
https://www.dailynk.com/english/police-seize-north-korean-made-clothing-liaoning-province/
Lear MoreP1-billion fake cigarettes, machines seize in Zamboanga raids
ZAMBOANGA CITY (June 22, 2020) – The Bureau of Customs (BOC) in this city confiscated over P1-billion worth of smuggled cigarettes and cigarette-making machines in raids conducted in several warehouses in the Zamboanga peninsula, or Region 9.
Zamboanga City Bureau of Customs (BOC) District Collector Segundo Barte said, among those seized by the agency were over 1,200 master cases of fake cigarettes, fake Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) documentary stamps for excise tax, and cigarette-making machines worth over P1.138 billion.
According to Barte, the composite team seized the master cases of smuggled cigarettes, worth about P34 million, in Dipolog City: the six cigarette-replicating machines, worth P600 million, in Dinas and Labangan towns both in Zamboanga del Sur; and raw imported tobacco, worth P130,000, the fake BIR stamps valued at P500 million, and other imported goods worth P4 million in Pagadian City.
Barte said the composite team raided the warehouses in Dipolog City, Dinas and Labangan town both located in Zamboanga del Sur in compliance with the 10 Letters of Authority (LOA) issued by Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo B. Guerrero to the local BOC here.
https://news.mb.com.ph/2020/06/22/p1-billion-fake-cigarettes-machines-seize-in-zamboanga-raids/
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CBP Officers Seize Counterfeit Touchscreen Tablets
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations officers working at the International Falls Port of Entry intercepted an international shipment containing over $460,000 in counterfeit tablets.
The shipment originated in China and was destined for Ohio.
CBP Officers targeted a rail container and after reviewing the information in the shipping documents, selected it for examination. During an examination of the goods, the officers discovered 1,152 counterfeit touchscreen tablets.
“CBP is focused on identifying and intercepting counterfeit merchandise and products. The enforcement of trade laws at U.S. ports of entry remains a high priority for us,” said Anthony Jackson, International Falls Port Director. “Counterfeiting adversely affects the ability of lawful copyright holders to profit from their original ideas. Counterfeiting also harms consumers because manufacturers of forged products have little motivation to use safe, high-quality materials in their products.”
CBP officers contacted CBP’s Electronics Center of Excellence and Expertise’s Import Specialists to determine their authenticity. After careful examination and coordination with the trademark owners, Import Specialists determined on June 12, 2020 that the product were in fact counterfeit.
https://lakesuperiornews.com/Public-Safety/cbp-officers-seize-counterfeit-touchscreen-tablets
Lear More5 liquor smugglers arrested in Ballia
Varanasi: The police nabbed five members of two gangs of liquor smugglers and recovered illicit liquor worth of Rs 52 lakh at two different places in Ballia district on Monday. The liquor consignments were being transported to Bihar.
According to reports, during a checking drive the police stopped a truck near Sadauli culvert in Rasara police station area in Ballia on Monday evening. On checking 49,000 bottles of illicit liquor of two brands packed in 980 cartons were recovered from the truck bearing registration number of Haryana.
The police arrested three persons identified as Manish Yadav, resident of Ballia, Rohtas and Sanjay, both natives of Haryana. During interrogation, they confessed that the liquor consignment was being smuggled to Bihar from Haryana.
Lear MoreUS seizes $4,000 worth of counterfeit Apple AirPods
US Customs and Border Protection says it seized almost $4,000 worth counterfeit Apple AirPods. The fake ear pods were discovered in a Chinese shipment at a DHL facility on June 1, CBP said Thursday. While checking the package for its lithium-ion batteries, CBP officers said the “quality of the packaging” wasn’t consistent with usual Apple packaging.
The counterfeit Apple AirPods were turned over for destruction.
“Counterfeit goods, like these, damage our economy,” said Shane Campbell, Chicago Area Port director. “When criminals sell these items, it deprives legitimate businesses from thriving.”
US companies lose billions of dollars every year due to fake products, Campbell said. CBP says it seizes more than $4 million worth of products that violate intellectual property rights every single day.
https://www.cnet.com/news/us-seizes-4000-worth-of-counterfeit-apple-airpods/
Lear MoreFICCI lauds DRI for largest seizure of smuggled cigarettes
New Delhi, June 15 (IANS) FICCIs Committee Against Smuggling and Counterfeiting Activities Destroying the Economy (CASCADE) has applauded the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), who in a major haul seized foreign brand cigarettes worth Rs 11.88 crore from a container at the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) in Navi Mumbai on June 12.
This is one of the biggest seizures since lockdown. Amid lockdown, several cases of seizures by enforcement agencies of smuggled imported cigarettes have been reported indicating a spike in cigarette smuggling over the last few months. The trend is nationwide, with seizures intercepted via road transport, in cargo and passenger luggage.
Congratulating the officers of DRI, Anil Rajput, Chairman, FICCI CASCADE said “Cigarette smuggling is a big racket across the globe and India continues to remain a hot bed for this menace. Even as the country is grappling with the coronavirus crisis, the seizures of such goods remain high”.
For developing countries, widespread smuggling has a particularly debilitating effect on efforts to improve domestic resource mobilization, by denying tax revenues, which subsequently affect government spending on healthcare, education, infrastructure.
Lear MoreFICCI CASCADE lauds DRI for a major haul of smuggled cigarettes
New Delhi, 15 June 2020: FICCI’s Committee Against Smuggling and Counterfeiting Activities Destroying the Economy (CASCADE) applauds the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), who in a major haul seized foreign brand cigarettes worth Rs 11.88 crore from a container at the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) in Navi Mumbai on June 12, 2020. This is one of the biggest seizures since lockdown. Amid lockdown, several cases of seizures by enforcement agencies of smuggled imported cigarettes have been reported indicating a spike in cigarette smuggling over the last few months. The trend is nationwide, with seizures intercepted via road transport, in cargo and passenger luggage.
Congratulating the officers of DRI, Mr. Anil Rajput, Chairman, FICCI CASCADE said ‘Cigarette smuggling is a big racket across the globe and India continues to remain a hot bed for this menace. Even as the country is grappling with the coronavirus crisis, the seizures of such goods remain high. The efforts made by the officers who are working under the current challenging circumstances is indeed commendable’.
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Spike in cigarette smuggling during COVID-19 lockdown: FICCI
Industry chamber FICCI’s arm on Monday said several cases of seizures by enforcement agencies of smuggled imported cigarettes reported in the last few months indicate a spike in cigarette smuggling during the coronavirus-induced lockdown. FICCI CASCADE (Committee Against Smuggling and Counterfeiting Activities Destroying the Economy), said the seizure of foreign brand cigarettes worth Rs 11.88 crore from a container at Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) in Navi Mumbai on June 12, by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) is one of the biggest seizures since lockdown.
“The trend is nationwide, with seizures intercepted via road transport, in cargo and passenger luggage,” FICCI CASCADE said in a statement.
Expressing concern FICCI CASCADE Chairman Anil Rajput said, “cigarette smuggling is a big racket across the globe and India continues to remain a hot bed for this menace. Even as the country is grappling with the coronavirus crisis, the seizures of such goods remain high.”
Citing a recent study, FICCI CASCADE said while cigarette smuggling has now become highly lucrative activity, it has caused 3.34 lakh job losses and urged for more active vigilance.
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