Express & Star investigates: How bootleg cigarettes help fund terrorism
Huge profits from smokers who buy cheap and illegal cigarettes are ending up in the hands of criminal gangs and terrorists. Those who buy counterfeit and illegal tobacco are almost universally oblivious to the fact that they are part of an elaborate criminal network inflicting pain and misery on innocent people all over the world. Cheap and counterfeit tobacco made in unregulated factories across the world has flooded the market in the Black Country, with up to 50 per cent of loose tobacco now believed to be fake.
The United Nations Security Council’s investigative body has found that millions of pounds in illicit tobacco revenues are reaching al-Qaeda, the Taliban and other terrorist organisations.
Undercover investigators highlight illicit tobacco trade in Gateshead
Illegal cigarettes seized as part of a raid on Tyneside could contain human faeces, rat droppings or dead flies. A team of undercover investigators uncovered “widespread” trade in illicit tobacco on a two-day visit to Gateshead. Former Scotland Yard Detective Chief Inspector Will O’Reilly led the test purchase operation on Tuesday and Wednesday across the borough. Since November 2011, Will has been conducting the research on behalf of Philip Morris International (PMI) – the global cigarette and tobacco company, which includes Marlboro among its products – to check on new counterfeits and to raise economic and health issues related to the black market.
Lear More
Venezuela to install 20,000 fingerprint readers to curb food smuggling
CARACAS: The Venezuelan government will install 20,000 fingerprint recognition readers to prevent smugglers from purchasing goods in the country at lower prices with the intention of reselling them on the black market.
Previously reported, the Venezuelan government first announced last August it would soon introduce fingerprint scanners at supermarkets in an effort to ration individuals’ food purchases and prevent food smuggling.
In December it was noted that the government had ordered thousands of Suprema BioMini fingerprint solutions, including BioMini Slim, for grocery stores and pharmacies located close to the Colombian border.
http://customstoday.com.pk/venezuela-to-install-20000-fingerprint-readers-to-curb-food-smuggling-2/
Lear More
The lowdown on fake wheels
Fake, according to the Webster dictionary, is something that is not genuine, a forgery, scam and something that is passed off as the genuine article. In essence, once you buy a replica or something that is not original, you are committing a crime in violation of Republic Act 8293 otherwise known as the Intellectual Property Rights Law. This trademark infringement is the unauthorized use in commerce of a registered mark or a colorable copy thereof which results in the likelihood of confusion among the consuming public. The elements of trademark infringement are: (1) validity of a plaintiff’s registered mark, (2) plaintiff’s ownership of the said mark and (3) use of the mark or imitation thereof by a third person which results in likelihood of confusion.
http://manilastandardtoday.com/2015/03/12/the-lowdown-on-fake-wheels/
Lear MoreCounterfeiting costs the British beauty industry £201 million a year
The EU’s largest intellectual property agency has warned that beauty consumers should be aware of bogus products infiltrating the market.According to the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market’s (OHIM) latest report for the EU Observatory on Infringement and Intellectual Properly Rights, sales of counterfeit perfume, make-up and personal care products in the EU is costing legitimate manufacturers, retailers and distributors up to £3.4 billion annually, nearly eight per cent of the overall sales in the cosmetics sector.
This beauty imitation game also costs the EU 50,000 job losses in the piracy process.
Lear MoreNigerian phone dealers rally against counterfeiting
In its attempt to sanitise the market, mobile phone dealers in Nigeria have decided to fight against importation and sales of counterfeit and stolen phones and accessories.Mr. Chris Ikechukwu, the leader of the Abuja GSM Village Telephone Dealers, said at a rally against sale of counterfeit and stole products in Abuja on Thursday that that the move was to redeem the image of the country.He noted that sales of fake, counterfeit and stolen phones affect the buyers, reduce the integrity of dealers and ruin the image of the country.
Lear More
18 people accused of £1m cigarette smuggling racket appear in court
EIGHTEEN people appeared in court today over what prosecutors say was a huge-scale evasion of duty on cigarettes and hand-rolling tobacco.It is alleged some of the team of people ran the plot to bring the contraband goods into the region while others acted as distributors.The tobacco – which would have had £1m duty payable – was delivered to various addresses via post and courier services from overseas.
Plain Packaging risk creating a prefect storm for smugglers and terror group
In 2009 I witnessed a massive illegal cigarette haul. 120 million cigarettes, smuggled into Northern Ireland by the IRA. The seizure, in the heart of ‘bandit country’, was the largest ever seen in Europe, with an estimated street value of nearly £45 million.More recently, in January of this year, two of the IRA’s most senior operatives, ex-bomber Lenoard ‘Bap’ Hardy and his wife Donna Maguire were detained in Spain, not on terrorism charges, but because of their involvement in a smuggling ring.
You might ask why this matters to someone who more usually concerns themselves with helping small and medium sized businesses. Simple, back in 2009 I sat on a Parliamentary committee concerned with controlling the export and supply of arms. The proceeds of these illegal activities would have been funneled into criminal and terrorist activities including the illegal arms trade
‘Blind eye to smuggling’ aids gangs
Authorities in Northern Ireland are attempting to keep paramilitary groups sweet by turning a blind eye to smuggling, MPs have heard.Democratic Unionist William McCrea said the approach had allowed the organisations to swell their coffers and stand in elections against candidates seeking to do things legally.The DUP’s justice spokesman in the Commons added Northern Ireland has been viewed as an “attractive” region for international crime gangs due to the resistance to establish the National Crime Agency (NCA) in the country.
Shop assistant caught despite hiding illegal cigs
A shop assistant who saw Customs officers coming to his outlet tried to hide illegal cigarettes under the counter, but to no avail.The officers who raided the sundry shop in Bandar Selesa Jaya, Skudai, about 2.40pm yesterday, were wise to such tricks and after a brief search, they uncovered the smuggled cigarettes.They arrested the 31-year-old man who hails from Kerala, India, and seized the John and Canyon contraband cigarettes.
http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2015/03/11/Shop-assistant-caught-despite-hiding-illegal-cigs/
Lear More