Smuggling, counterfeits resulted in Rs39,239 crore loss to govt in 2014
Bengaluru – Smuggling and counterfeiting of goods in India has cost an estimated loss of Rs39,239 crore to government in 2014, says a report by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), a lobby group.
The illicit market has grown 49.84% from 2012, the first time FICCI commissioned such a study, the trade body said. It covered nine industries that included alcoholic beverages, tobacco, auto components, computer hardware, packaged consumer foods, personal consumer goods, mobile phones, motion pictures and broadcasting.The maximum revenue loss, 23% of the overall loss estimated to the exchequer was in tobacco, followed by mobile phones at 17% and alcohol beverages at 16%, the study said.Due to high tax rates and complex structures in levy collection across states, a major share of the tobacco market has been taken up by fake products, said P.C. Jha, adviser to Ficci Committee Against Smuggling and Counterfeiting Activities Destroying the Economy (CASCADE), which commissioned the report. The study was conducted by Thought Arbitrage Research Institute (TARI), a non-profit think-tank, for FICCI.
Smuggled Cigarettes Worth Over Rs 15 Lakh Seized
Meghalaya – The officers of Customs Headquarters, Preventive Unit, Shillong have seized 40 cartons of “Ruili River” brand filter cigarettes worth Rs 15.97 lakh, manufactured by Myanmar Cigarette Factory from the Booking Counter of Kamakhya Railway Station, Guwahati on December 14.The consignment was mis-declared as “damaged tobacco product”.
The smugglers of foreign cigarettes use courier agencies, railways and passenger buses to transport such contraband to different parts of the country.
As per an earlier report, Assam and Meghalaya were incurring revenue losses to the tune of Rs 700 crore every year due to illegal trade of cigarettes, which are manufactured locally as well as smuggled from neighbouring countries.Besides, it was reported that almost 23 crore illegal tax-evaded cigarette sticks are sold in these two states every month.
http://www.northeasttoday.in/smuggled-cigarettes-worth-over-rs-15-lakh-seized-meghalaya/
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Illegal tobacco on Merseyside: Buying cheap cigarettes is not a victimless crime
Tobacco smugglers are putting legitimate shops – and their workers – at risk by encouraging smokers to turn to black market cigarettes sold at a cut rate.
The shop bosses also said their staff play a part in combating underage smoking, arguing street dealers and counterfeiters do not care who they sell to. All of the products were illegal as UK taxes had not been paid on them. At least one of the products is known to have contained counterfeit tobacco.
The scale of the trade was also highlighted – with Liverpool council’s Alcohol and Tobacco Unit seizing 11 kilograms of illegal tobacco and 30,500 dodgy cigarettes in 2015 alone.
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/illegal-tobacco-merseyside-buying-cheap-10611450
Lear MoreFake make-up ruined my face
Shockingly, in May, police said more than 5,000 websites selling counterfeit “luxury” goods had been shut down over an 18-month period. This makes it more important than ever for shoppers to know exactly what they’re filling their loved ones’ stockings with.
Selling fake products online is fraud and is illegal. But in recent years, there’s been a huge rise in the number of criminal gangs recreating unsafe copies of branded products. Some bogus cosmetics contain up to 19 times the legal levels of lead.
It is so dangerous, that police have issued a national alert.
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Coast makes it easy for illegal tobacco smuggling to be industry in own right
Torquay – The close proximity of the English Channel to South Devon has made it easy for tobacco to be illegally smuggled.
It is an ongoing issue and it is increasing, particularly as a result of the high levels of taxation in the country. The level of roll-your-own cigarettes is higher than average in the south west, and they are easier to smuggle.
People are finding more ways to smuggle cigarettes into the country, be it legal or illegal, and it is having a massive effect on retailers.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/746393/whos-investigating-fake-chinese-goods-fake-investigators
Lear MorePolice bust alleged illicit tobacco importation gang
Melbourne – Police have seized more than $8 million of assets after busting an alleged illicit tobacco importation gang. The cigarettes, and 44.5kg of molasses tobacco, was imported into Melbourne by air. The consignment was declared as printer and mobile phone accessories. ACC acting Executive Director Operations, Col Blanch, said organised crime is entrenched within the illicit tobacco market in Australia. “Organised criminals perceive the illicit tobacco market to be a low risk, high profit enterprise. However, this investigation demonstrates that the risk is increasing,” Mr Blanch said.
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Bac Giang destroys smuggled Chinese products
BAC GIANG— BacGiang’s market management forces yesterday confiscated and destroyed three tonnes of smuggled Chinese traditional medicines and farm products. The destroyed goods were estimated to be worth about VND1.7 billion (nearly US$76,000). The smuggled medicines and farm products were detected and seized while they were being transported from Lang Son to BacGiang. The owner of the goods, Bui Minh Duc from Lang Son Province, could not show any legal documents linked to the cargo.
http://vietnamnews.vn/society/279903/bac-giang-destroys-smuggled-chinese-products.html
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Former county corrections officer pleads guilty in contraband smuggling operation
Annapolis – A former county corrections officer pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges stemming from a contraband smuggling operation at Jennifer Road Detention Center in Annapolis. James Newsome, 25, of St. Mary’s County, is the fourth and final former corrections officer to plead guilty in Anne Arundel Circuit Court to charges stemming from contraband smuggling at Jennifer Road Detention Center.
Tobacco trafficking funds crime, terrorism
Virginia – Organized crime has long profited from black-market deals in prohibited or expensively regulated goods ,ranging from bootlegged liquor, to prostitutes, to guns. Organized terrorism has taken a cue from that history. Virginia also is popular with cigarette smugglers because our taxes on tobacco are relatively low. That profit falls into the pockets both of organized crime and of terrorism, says a new State Department report. The same groups that deal in cigarette smuggling also are linked to weapons smuggling and sex trafficking.
The State Department estimates that cigarette smuggling is costing state and local governments $3 billion to $7 billion each year.
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Police find thousands of pounds of illegal tobacco in Tredworth
Tredworth – Police raided a house in Tredworth alongside trading standard officers last week as the house was believed to store illegal tobacco for a shop in the city. In total the officers found 1175 packs of 20 cigarettes and 338 pouches of 50g hand rolling tobacco, hidden in kitchen cupboards, in the fridge and under carpets. It is believed that the tobacco was being stored at the private premises to avoid large quantities being discovered in the shop by officers.