Organised crime could benefit from change in cigarette laws, says Bury North MP David Nuttall
GANGSTERS could benefit when branding is removed from cigarette packaging, Bury North’s MP believes.David Nuttall made the point during a question-and-answer session in Parliament on March 2.From this May, all cigarette packet makers must ensure the packaging is plain with no graphics, save for warnings about the damaging effects cigarettes can have.
The ‘standardised’ packaging will be gradually phased in and made compulsory in May 2017.
It follows the introduction of a Parliamentary Act aimed at dissuading young people from taking up smoking.
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Thai Police Seize Almost 900,000 Counterfeit Sunglasses
Police in Thailand announced Thursday they seized almost 900,000 counterfeit brand-name sunglasses at a warehouse where they also arrested two Chinese nationals accused of importing them from China.
Thailand’s Department of Special Investigation said the 895,897 sunglasses were purported to be famous brands such as Ray-Ban, Oakley, Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior.
State nabs 4 people for smuggling 72,000 packs of contraband tobacco products
Authorities have confiscated about 72,000 packs of contraband cigarettes worth about $300,000 in the last two weeks, and four men now face felony charges.The cigarettes were illegally transported from out of state. Field Enforcement Division officers with the Maryland Comptroller’s Office assisted state police and the Maryland Transportation Authority with the arrests.
Three men arrested for smuggling cigarettes
HCM City’s BinhChanh District police have captured three cigarette smugglers, who were part of a large smuggling ring, and seized 23,000 cigarette packs. The three men who have been arrested are Le Thanh Tam, 36, a resident of the city’s District 6; Nguyen Hoang Viet Cuong, 31, from the city’s Tan Phu District; and Ho Long Hai, 23, a resident of the southern Long An Province.
Local police said several policemen caught the three men from a house in Tan Tao 2 resettlement zone, where they were packaging smuggled cigarettes to sell in the city market.
http://vietnamnews.vn/society/283127/three-men-arrested-for-smuggling-cigarettes.html
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Fraud in cosmetic products can invite jail up to 5 years
Those found guilty of promoting fake or corrupt cosmetic products or committing any other malpractices face four penalties, including fines up to SR5 million or prison term not exceeding five years, according to the new regulations.
The violating facility will be closed down until the irregularities are corrected or the license will be revoked permanently, local media reported, citing the new rules which will come into effect six months from now.
http://www.arabnews.com/news/890981
Lear More$9.5M cigarette smuggling ring was run by two N.J. men, feds say
Two New Jersey residents have been accused of buying millions of dollars worth of cigarettes in Virginia and attempting to re-sell them in New Jersey and New York where taxes on tobacco products are much higher, according to a published report.
Laila Alayat, a 37-year-old Jordanian national, was arrested last month at John F. Kennedy International Airport as she was preparing to board a flight to Jordan. Alayat had previously been told any attempt to leave the country would be seen as an attempt to flee prosecution, authorities said.
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Hsa Issues Alert Over Counterfeit Eye Mo Eye Drops
The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) yesterday issued a public health and safety alert over counterfeit eye drops sold at two shops here.The products were fraudulently labelled as “EYE MO Regular” (7.5ml) and “EYE MO Moist” (7.5ml) from GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).
http://www.tnp.sg/news/singapore-news/hsa-issues-alert-over-counterfeit-eye-mo-eye-drops
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Over 20,000 illegal cigarettes and tobacco seized in raids
Over 20,000 illegal cigarette sticks and over 9kg illegal hand rolling tobacco as well as over 100 illegal niche tobacco items were discovered following raids in Castleford and Pontefract.
The activity was conducted by officers from the Trading Standards Illegal Tobacco Team, following up on information provided by members of the public.
Fifty Thousand Packets of smuggled cigarettes found hidden in Campervan
OVER FIFTY THOUSAND packets of smuggled cigarettes with a value of €223,184 have been seized by the Guardia Civil in the regions of l’AltUrgell (Lleida). The cigarettes were secretly stashed in a motorhome which was being used as a shuttle for the contraband. The Guardia Civil have arrested five people and along with the cigarettes confiscated 4,525 packets of tobacco, €6820 in cash, two long hunting weapons, several fake license plates and also a fleet of five vehicles used to transport the goods. The five people arrested are of Spanish nationality and resident in the provinces of Lleida and Tarragona. They have been charged with smuggling offenses against public health, membership of a criminal group, disobedience, reckless driving and possession of fake license plates.
Instagram Is Showing Suspect Ads For Fake Sneakers
Be careful out there in the wide world of Instagram. Ever since Instagram moved past its initial test period, they’ve been letting anyone and everyone with a few dollars to their name create and run advertising. This has led to some very questionable companies advertising on the service, and NiceKicks has done a good job of compiling a few examples.
It’s becoming increasingly common for people to sell their high-priced sneakers on Instagram, as the image-centric social platform puts your product front and center. However, some knock-off sneaker sellers have realized this and are creating ads that promote extremely fake sneakers. Serious sneakerheads might be able to spot the fakes right off the bat, but for everyone else let this be a useful PSA – if you see an $800 pair of Yeezys offered for less one quarter of their normal price, it’s probably pretty sus.
http://www.hotnewhiphop.com/instagram-is-showing-suspect-ads-for-fake-sneakers-news.20455.html
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