Counterfeit goods: hotspots and why they are so dangerous
A new BBC investigation has found that the black market for counterfeit goods is doing a roaring trade, particularly in certain parts of the UK.
The most commonly-seized items are clothing and accessories, followed by mobile phone accessories, perfume and cosmetics, tobacco, electrical goods, alcohol, DVDs, vehicle parts and footwear.
Counterfeit goods are becoming more dangerous, with fraudsters faking big brand foods including chocolate bars and bottles of false shampoo.
The trade in counterfeit goods is also having an effect on British business. Many people buy fake items thinking only of the saving they are making not the fact they could be contributing to the death of small local businesses.
Lear MoreFICCI CASCADE associates with NACEN to organize ‘Socio-Economic Impact of Illicit Trade’
The objective was to sensitize trainee officers of Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Central Excise) on the ill effects of illicit trade with special focus on the impact of smuggling on the economy, and society as a whole.
FICCI CASCADE (Committee Against Smuggling and Counterfeiting Activities Destroying the Economy) in association with the National Academy of Customs, Excise and Narcotics, (NACEN) organized a capacity building programme on the ‘Socio-Economic Impact of Illicit Trade’ on July 15 at NACEN, Faridabad. The objective was to sensitize trainee officers of Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Central Excise) on the ill effects of illicit trade with special focus on smuggling on the economy, and on the society as a whole.
Lear MoreSubstandard quality of seeds, fertilisers, pesticides haunts farmers.
“Agriculture department joint director from Vizianagaram district, GSNS Leelavathi told TOI that they plan to form enforcement teams to inspect the quality of seeds, fertilisers and pesticides.” Taking advantage of the farmers, the private traders sell fake, illicit and substandard products to them,” Prakash explained.The farmers approach these private traders for loans due to the government not including them in the loan waiver scheme. “Mandal agriculture officer will act as the quality control inspector by collecting the samples of each product from all the traders. As the agriculture season has just begun, we took time and will implement the measures by this month,” Leelavathi said. They then black market the stock and force farmers to buy the produce.
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Turkish customs units confiscate record 3.3 million packs of smuggled cigarettes
a significant anti-smuggling operation yesterday, customs units confiscated 3.3 million packs of cigarettes on their way into Turkey onboard a ship.
The cigarettes confiscated in the operation are believed to have a market value of TL 28.5 million ($9.85 million), which would bring some TL 23 million in tax revenues if sold legally.
Acting on a tip, customs units followed the ship, which departed from the Magosa port in Turkish Cyprus with a declared route to Ukraine’s Skadovsk port. The ship, which passed through the Bosporus and went on to the Black Sea, was put under surveillance. After cruising off the Ukrainian coast for a while, the ship headed back to Istanbul.
The ship’s operators and crew declared they unloaded the ship’s freight in Ukraine and presented a document that said the same.However, Coast Guard and customs enforcement units boarded the ship and found the cigarette packs on board, which weighed some 100 tons in total.
Trader of fake cigarettes nabbed
Police and Barangay Barucboc officials in Quezon, Isabela, arrested on Wednesday a dealer of fake cigarettes who was caught selling reams of counterfeit Mighty and Marvels cigarettes to a sari-sari store.
The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and law enforcement agencies have been vigilant against dealers of fake products over the past few months as these do not pay the proper taxes and do not contribute to the country’s economy.
The store helper went to the barangay hall and sought the assistance of tanods after a dubious male came by to sell cartons of suspicious cigarettes to the store owner’s daughter who held the suspect pretending she was buying.The barangay officials immediately proceeded to the store and caught the 33-year-old suspect in the act of selling fake Mighty and Marvels menthol and full flavor variants to the sari-sari store.Moments later, a Mighty Corp. representative came by the store and confirmed that the cigarette variants were indeed counterfeit.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/795843/trader-of-fake-cigarettes-nabbed
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Man smuggled cigarettes inside lorry load of frozen onions
A man who smuggled cigarettes into Britain inside a cargo of frozen onions has been locked up.
Marius Majchrzak, 43, was arrested at a storage unit in Manchester containing more than 600,000 cigs. He was carrying a black and silver electronic fob that controlled the roller shutter doors to a unit on Derby Street, Cheetham Hill.
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Tobacco smuggling clampdown at waterport Terraces
Customs officers have moved to clamp down on tobacco smuggling in the area of Waterport Terraces.
The Government says it has received reports of illicit activity in the estate, and therefore Customs has immediately started an operation to clamp down and investigate who might be responsible.
The Chief Minister says the Government has acted to ensure that it has taken out of Glacis and Laguna the anti-social behaviour related to illicit tobacco activity, and will once again act without hesitation to curtail any such activity in the Waterport Terraces area. HM Customs operations have started today and will continue until this activity is curtailed.
http://www.gbc.gi/news/tobacco-smuggling-clampdown-waterport-terraces-32660
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Tobacco smuggling burns hole in the revenue’s tax take
An increase in smuggling and the ban on displaying tobacco products in shops has led to a substantial decline in Treasury duty revenues.
According to Revenue & Customs, tax revenues in the 2015-16 tax year fell by almost 1 per cent, from £9.55 billion to £9.48 billion, while revenues from March to May this year fell by 3.5 per cent to £2.38 billion.
Tax on cigarettes has been rising at 2 per cent above inflation since 2010 to cut smoking rates and improve health.
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/tobacco-smuggling-burns-hole-in-the-revenue-s-tax-take-zfm36gbxp
Lear MoreMeghalaya police holds awareness programme over counterfeit products
To counter the alarming growth of counterfeit products entering the market in the state and country, the Meghalaya police in collaboration with Hindustan UniLever Limited (HUL) organized an awareness programme to sensitize the police personnel in identifying such products.As per data presented during a programme at Sadar Police Station on Wednesday, in 2014 there were 3.2 billion counterfeit products being manufactured and 3.5 billion in 2015.Speaking at the programme, HUL, Regional Legal manager for East region, Gaurav said, “Counterfeit products have affected the economy of not only the country but the state as well because no tax will be paid on the products and the person manufacturing such products will not pay excise duty.” He, however, said that such company or proprietor involved in manufacturing counterfeit products can be taken to task under CRPC and Trademark Act.
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US Officials seize 65m in counterfeit goods in Pureto Rico
Special agents from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations, working with U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, on Wednesday seized $6.5 million in counterfeit merchandise in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, the ICE said.
The officers targeted 14 retailers selling goods that they say infringe on the trademarks of Gucci, Michael Kors, Prada, Chanel, Ray Ban, Coach, Dolce & Gabbana, Oakley, Nike and the National Basketball Association.
First-time offenders accused of violating intellectual property laws were served with a notification of a violation of law, while repeat offenders will be prosecuted by the HSI, the agency said.
http://www.retaildive.com/news/us-officials-seize-65m-in-counterfeit-goods-in-puerto-rico/422291/
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