News

Unsafe Battery Products

The frequency of battery related accidents have seen significant increase over the past few years. They are commonly observed in power banks/mobile phone batteries and laptop batteries. One of the most important factors to look for when selecting a power bank is its quality/safety feature. In order to cut cost, safety features are often neglected, if not totally ignored.  Low battery quality and the absence of safety features are why fake power banks are cheaper. The market is filled with fake power banks, and many of them are advertised and priced as original, branded power banks. Many of them also come with original labelling/stickers which makes it very difficult to differentiate between fakes and original. Buying from certified retailers, authorized dealers, official website ensures that you will avoid getting a fake product. According to a research conducted, more than 60% of power banks submitted for qualification were untraceable. These power banks have no proper supplier info, vague specification, and are compliant to no safety certifications. Up to 50% of the submitted samples failed the qualification. Pisen power bank comes with 1 year warranty, and 7S Protection which offers overcharging, overheating, short circuit, over discharge, over power, over current and over voltage protection. Unhealthy batteries typically carry indicators such as bulges, deformation and leakage.  Overheating/shorter standby time may also indicate battery damage. When in doubt, it is best to stop using said device, and consult your supplier directly.

http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Are-your-battery-products-safe-and-secure-369388

Tobacco Smuggling Raids

Six men have been arrested as part of an investigation into a suspected £22m tobacco smuggling, tax evasion and money laundering fraud. Officers from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) carried out simultaneous searches of 11 premises in Essex, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, London and the West Midlands on July 15, in an investigation codenamed Operation Nipper. During the operation a number of vehicles and paperwork were seized. Sandra Smith, assistant director, criminal investigation, HMRC, said: “This is a wide ranging investigation into suspected tobacco excise duty and VAT evasion, and associated money laundering.“The smuggling, transport, storage, or sale of illegal tobacco will not be tolerated by HMRC. Disrupting criminal trade is at the heart of our strategy to clampdown on the illicit tobacco market, which costs UK taxpayers around £2.1bn a year. “We encourage anyone with information about suspicious tobacco or cigarette products to contact the Customs Hotline on 0800 595000.”

http://www.forecourttrader.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/10180/Six_arrests_in_tobacco_smuggling_raids.html

Dublin Seizes 36,200 Cigarettes and 15kgs of Tobacco

In an intelligence-led operation today (16/07/15) targeting the sale of illegal cigarettes in the Moore Street area, officers from Revenue’s Customs Service, assisted by An Garda Síochána, seized approximately 30,000 cigarettes and 15kgs of tobacco with a retail value of over €22,000. The cigarettes and tobacco were uncovered when officers, acting under warrant, searched a private dwelling, two cars and two vans in Dublin’s inner city. Revenue’s tobacco dog Casey assisted in the search. In a separate operation yesterday (15/07/15) focusing on the illegal importation of cigarettes, officers from Revenue’s Customs Service seized 6,200 cigarettes. The cigarettes were detected in the postal system by Revenue’s tobacco dog Elvis. A controlled delivery to a premises on the north side of Dublin city was subsequently carried out, followed by a search of premises under warrant. A Polish female was interviewed at the premises and a file is being prepared with a view to prosecution.

Fake Surgical Hardware in Hospitals

The University of Maryland’s Baltimore Washington Medical Center is sending letters to about 250 spinal fusion patients who received hardware from a defunct California company accused of selling fake parts. The Glen Burnie hospital is continuing to investigate whether any counterfeit parts were used in patients and sent the letters to “address any concerns.” Officials said they’ve found no evidence yet its patients were affected. A number of hospitals across the country, including Baltimore Washington Medical Center, have been sued by health insurers alleging the hospitals used the fake parts and overbilled for them. The suit also named one of the hospital’s spinal surgeons, Dr. Randy Davis. Local law firms are also investigating and reaching out to patients. The parts in question were distributed by a company called Spinal Solutions LLC, which was cited in 2012 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for quality control problems. The following year, the company recalled parts used in lower spine fusions, specifically saying that some had been distributed in Maryland. In announcing the recall, the FDA said inadequacies in the parts “might result in product performance failures that could cause patient harm due to implant breakage, movement, or inadequate sterilization.”

http://www.baltimoresun.com/health/maryland-health/bs-hs-fake-spinal-screws-20150716-story.html#page=1

HMRC arrest six in £22m tobacco smuggling and tax fraud raids

Six men have been arrested in a series of raids by officers investigating a suspected £22m tobacco smuggling and money laundering operation.

Eleven premises in Essex, Derbyshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, London and the West Midlands were raided by HM Revenue and Customs officers earlier.

Four men from Essex were detained, one from Hertfordshire and one from the West Midlands.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-33539841