Committee reports on illegal trade
In a report, entitled Cross-border Police Cooperation and Illicit Trade, they say. More serious penalties, including more lengthy custodial sentences for illicit trade activities, are needed in order to make Ireland a more difficult place for criminal gangs to operate.The Committee was particularly alarmed by the evidence of the widespread presence of fuel laundering plants and filling stations selling illicit fuel in border regions and further afield.
http://www.independent.ie/regionals/argus/news/committee-reports-on-illegal-trade-31018174.html
Lear MoreCounterfeiting & smuggling to cost govt Rs 1.6 trillion by 2016: Ficci
Counterfeiting and smuggling activities have been increasing at an annual rate of 15% in the country and would cost government Rs 1.6 trillion by 2016, revealed the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry’s (Ficci) anti-counterfeiting committee on Friday.
The revelation was made during a 90-minute programme held by the Committee Against Smuggling and Counterfeiting Activities Destroying the Economy (Cascade) here. The programme was aimed at sensitizing police officers about the impact of counterfeit and smuggled goods.
Smuggling, counterfeiting on the rise: Sanjay Kumar
Smuggling and counterfeiting-related crimes are increasing at a more rapid pace compared to conventional crimes, said Sanjay Kumar, Joint Commissioner of Police, Pune.
Kumar was addressing police officers and members of industry during a one-day seminar and training on ‘Counterfeiting and smuggling’ organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) on Friday.
Lear MoreDon’t be fooled – Supermarkets selling fake wine in alcohol aisle – some containing just 11% of alcohol
Supermarkets have been caught selling “wine based drinks” in their alcohol aisles – some containing less than the required 75 per cent wine. The Aussie plonk appears to be normal – bottled and labelled like proper wines – but small print on the back reveals they are not what they seem. Labeling guidelines state that any drink containing less than 75 per cent wine must be described as a “wine based drink”.

Huge tobacco find on Armagh farm sparks ‘soft touch for smugglers’ claim
Political wrangling over the powers of the National Crime Agency operating in Northern Ireland are said to have left the region wide open to smugglers. Almost a tonne of raw leaf tobacco and 10,000 suspected illicit cigarettes were this week seized in raids by Customs officers. The huge tobacco haul was discovered in a vehicle at a farm in south Armagh on Tuesday.
How tobacco tax spikes could trigger smuggling
Dubai: Abrupt tax spikes on tobacco products will stimulate the illicit counterfeited tobacco trade which, in turn, is linked to other activities of organised crime and terrorism, speakers of the fifth Middle East and North Africa conference on ‘Combating Illicit Trade and Tax Engagement’ said yesterday.The annual conference, held at the JW Marriott Marquis, was hosted by British American Tobacco (BAT).
International experts and analysts gathered to discuss and review case studies on the tobacco black market trade. The conference also covered taxation-related issues and provided insights into the best practices in adopting sensible tax policy regimes.

Counterfeit goods undermine Vietnam’s economic prosperity
The proliferation of counterfeit products in Vietnam – from consumer electronics to pharmaceuticals and fertilisers – is slowing the nation’s economic growth and even putting people’s lives at risk. The shift of much of the world’s manufacturing to countries with poor protection of intellectual property has been a significant factor contributing to the growth of counterfeiting in recent years. It has made the technology and the opportunity to make knock-offs more readily available to the criminal elements of the world. Internet in general and e-commerce sites like eBay in particular, have also made it easier to distribute counterfeit goods.
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Food fraud: Record seizures of fake food and drink in INTERPOL-Europol operation
Thousands of tonnes of fake and sub-standard food and drink have been seized in 47 countries around the world as part of an INTERPOL-Europol coordinated operation. 2972_oceanstwelve3-627Operation Opson IV, conducted during December 2014 and January 2015, resulted in the seizure of more than 2,500 tonnes of counterfeit and illicit food, including mozzarella, strawberries, eggs, cooking oil and dried fruit.
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NAFDAC destroys N500m fake drugs in Onitsha
Substandard and expired drugs, diapers, baby milk and other items worth about N500 million were yesterday destroyed in Awka, Anambra State by the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC). This took place just as a Chinese who specialises in importing fake and unregistered diapers was also the same day arraigned before the Federal High Court, Awka. The destruction of the items according to the Director General of the Agency, Dr Paul Orhii, was in line with the agency’s resolve to rid the country of unwholesome products.
Lear MoreINTERPOL Seized 2,500 Tons of Fake Food Around the World
The food you ate for breakfast may be fake. The cocktail you had at the bar last night may not be real either. Everything you eat may in fact be a lie. INTERPOL announced that it seized thousands of tons of fake and “sub-standard” food and drink in 47 different countries around the world as part of a coordinated operation. “Operation Opson IV, conducted during December 2014 and January 2015, resulted in the seizure of more than 2,500 tons of counterfeit and illicit food, including mozzarella, strawberries, eggs, cooking oil and dried fruit,” INTERPOL said in the announcement.
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