Salford man amongst gang jailed for smuggling £760k cigarettes
Seven men who attempted to steal almost £760,000 in tax by selling illegal cigarettes, were jailed this week at Manchester Crown Court.
The men, one of whom is from Swinton, were linked to the crime after an investigation by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) uncovered their central storage unit in Bolton and caught some of the gang there in April 2014.
Lear MoreCounterfeit make-up
WE all want to look beautiful and presentable. Cosmetics can be a quick an easy way to temporarily solve beauty problems of an individual. For that, most people don’t mind spending money on cosmetics which has made the cosmetic and make-up business a multi-billion dollar industry. However, not all consumers know that fake or counterfeit make-up are being sold in the marketplace. What is damaging is the fact that consumers use it without knowing the risks it poses as these counterfeit products are loaded with toxic and harmful chemicals.
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Smuggled cigarettes causing Rs24b loss
Pakistan is losing billions of rupees in annual excise revenue due to large scale and organised smuggling of internationally popular cigarette brands into Pakistan via Afghanistan.
A report by Tobacco Farmers Welfare Association (TFWA) estimates an annual loss in revenue of more than Rs24 billion due to illicit cigarette trade.
The use of smuggled brands like Benson & Hedges, Dunhill, Marlboro, Pine etc. is increasing among Pakistani youth. And while big tobacco firms continue to augment their revenues, Pakistan is suffering major economic losses.
http://nation.com.pk/business/22-Jul-2016/smuggled-cigarettes-causing-rs24b-loss
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Consumers group calls for ‘all-out war’ against smuggling
A consumers’ group has called for an “all-out war” against smuggling, saying it has a dire effect on the poorest members of the population “just like illegal drugs.”
Rodolfo “RJ” Javellana Jr., president of the civil society group United Filipino Consumers & Commuters (UFCC), said smuggling undermined state authority and government-led development by fueling corruption and hurting the economy.
“This in turn affects the livelihood opportunities and quality of life of Filipinos, especially the poor,” Javellana said in a statement.
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iBan? Iran wants to put an end to iPhone smuggling by banning product altogether
Regardless of whether it’s through the use of Twinkies boxes, slingshots, crossbows, or even your own body, iPhone smuggling is a real issue in several parts of the world. One of those areas appears to be Iran, which threatened Apple with an iPhone ban in the hope of curbing smuggling, according to Japan Times.
Similar to India, Apple does not officially sell iPhones in Iran, even though the company is reportedly in negotiations to change that. Even so, 40 million Iranians are reported to use smartphones, with millions of iPhones said to be smuggled into the country.
https://www.yahoo.com/tech/iban-iran-wants-put-end-003517133.html
Lear MoreDRI seizes red sanders worth over Rs 8 crore in multiple raids across Mumbai
According to sources, a part of the consignment of red sanders seized by the agency was allegedly being smuggled from NhavaSheva port in Navi Mumbai to Dubai using forged shipping documents.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized 21.3 tonnes of red sanders worth over Rs 8 crore from a repeat offender in multiple raids across the city, said official sources.
According to sources, a part of the consignment of red sanders seized by the agency was allegedly being smuggled from NhavaSheva port in Navi Mumbai to Dubai using forged shipping documents. The consignment originated from Pelhar-Palghar region of Thane district, the sources said.
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The curious connection between illicit cigarette sales and ISIS
Are loosies a terrorist revenue stream? State Rep. Rick Saccone thinks so.
During a session ahead of a vote on the state budget’s revenue package last week, Saccone, a Republican from Allegheny County, objected to a proposed $1-per-pack cigarette tax increase Wednesday. The new tax, which Governor Wolf signed into law later that day, raises the state’s levy to $2.60 per pack. Saccone viewed this as earning revenue off the backs of the poor, but also he was wary that price hikes might encourage smuggling rings that send money to violent extremists.
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Fake Super Glue floods market
The Alteco Chemical PTE Ltd., a company that produces Alteco 11O Super Glue, has raised an alarm over the faking of its product across the country.
Mr Ifeanyi Dike, the company’s Media Consultant, said on Sunday in Onitsha that the company’s products that were faked and worth millions of naira were confiscated during several raids in Onitsha, Aba and Lagos.
Dike, who noted that over 100 shops were raided in Onitsha alone, said the raid was carried out in collaboration with the Police after obtaining Anton Pillar Order from court.
http://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2016/07/17/fake-super-glue-floods-market/
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Special Report: Illegal cigarettes easily available in rural Cork areas
Illegal cigarettes, either counterfeit or contraband, are as easily available in rural areas of Cork as they are in the city. An undercover team of operatives, led by two former senior police officers, uncovered sufficient evidence of the illegal trade in North Cork within a period of just a few hours.
One female operative, a smoker, targets licensed premises in Fermoy, Mallow and Mitchelstown and, after striking up conversations with other smokers, was provided with contact numbers for people selling cheap tobacco products.
Lear MoreTobacco smuggling shoots up by 28 per cent
The amount of tobacco smuggled into Malta grew by some 28 per cent last year, costing the Treasury about €10 million in lost revenue, an EU-wide report seen by the Sunday Times of Malta has estimated.
The study found that while the total legal consumption of cigarettes declined the amount of contraband and counterfeit cigarettes entering the Maltese market went up..
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