News

Brief: Helsinki airport a hub for fake smartphones

Helsinki flightCustoms officers in Finland say Helsinki airport has become a major transit point for counterfeit electronic goods such as smartphones, according to Finnish broadcaster Yle. The transport hub provides a quick route for Asian counterfeit producers shipping their knock-offs into the EU, say the officials, who intercepted a shipment of 2,500 fake smartphones en route from Hong Kong towards the end of last year.

MI5 fights IRA smugglers

MI5, the British intelligence service, is cracking down on a global cigarette-smuggling operation estimated to be generating tens of millions of euros a year for Irish republican terrorists. Criminals linked to the Provisional IRA and a dissident faction called the New IRA are smuggling between 150m and 200m contraband cigarettes into Britain, where they are sold on by street dealers and shops. The terror groups are also smuggling vast quantities of laundered diesel into Britain, particularly to the northwest of England, where they have established contacts with Turkish gangs.

http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/ireland/News/article1519477.ece?CMP=OTH-gnws-standard-2015_02_14

The big business of deception

Worldwide, counterfeiting accounts for more than half a trillion dollars, or 5% to 7%, of world trade each year. Counterfeiters are involved in the illegal production of knock-offs in virtually every conceivable area – food, clothes, pharmaceuticals, toys, health & wellness products, bath & beauty products, and much more. Often the temptation of bargain basement pricing can be too strong for consumers to resist, with many not understanding the risks and ramifications attached to this illicit industry.

Former deputy accused of smuggling contraband in Broward jail

A former Broward detention deputy went on trial Tuesday, charged with taking a bribe to smuggle contraband into the north Broward jail in Pompano Beach in 2011. Tavares West, 38, was identified to investigators by informants who said he was willing to sneak in cigarettes and other items to inmates for a price. A sting operation resulted in his arrest after detectives said he accepted a $400 payment to bring cigarettes, batteries and headphones to one of the inmates. “He sold his integrity for $400,” said prosecutor Tim Donnelly.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/fort-lauderdale/fl-deputy-contraband-trial-20150217-story.html

Over a quarter of South West cigarettes could be illegal

More than a quarter of cigarettes sold in the South West are either illegal or purchased outside of the UK, a survey has revealed. Researchers have warned the profits made could be ending up in the pockets of organised crime and terrorist groups. The discarded pack collection survey by MSIntelligence found that approximately 27% of the region’s cigarettes are either counterfeits, smuggled or obtained through other methods from outside of the country.

City of London Police knock 2,000 counterfeit good sites offline

The City of London Police has shut down 2,000 websites selling fake luxury goods since the New Year, as part of its ongoing quest to clampdown on counterfeit product sales. The sites in question were selling knock-off versions of products from popular, high-end fashion brands including Burberry, Longchamp, Oakley and Tiffany. Along with fake products, some of these sites also housed malware and viruses, the City of London Police has warned.

Billion dollar smuggling industry drains Iran’s economy

Habibollah Haghighi, chief of an Iranian task force to combat smuggling, announced that up to $25 billion worth of contraband was smuggled into the country between March 2013 and March 2014. Haghighi’s announcement came during a Jan. 22 meeting in Qom among seminary heads, in which he stated that the “trafficking of contraband goods hindered domestic production and had negative impacts on the economic, health care, medical and cultural sectors.” According to the official, the amount of contraband over the year was double the country’s development budgets.

Engines ‘fake’: NBI

AGENTS of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)National Capital Region raided and seized 150 “fake” motor engines from a warehouse in Barangay Cabancalan, Mandaue City yesterday morning. The raid at the Weld Industrial Sales warehouse stemmed from the complaint filed by Solanda Enterprises, which is based in Intramuros in Manila. The alleged fake engines are worth about P1.5 million, according to Solanda’s product manager Chris Rubiano. We have been receiving complaints from our customers since last year that the motor engines they bought (from Weld) would easily get damaged,” he said in Tagalog. “Our company’s name is at stake here.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/local-news/2015/02/13/engines-fake-nbi-391879