Counterfeit cosmetics seized in Hong Kong
Eye make upcloseCustom officers in Hong Kong have made a seizure of fake cosmetic goods that are thought to be worth around $5,000.
The Hong Kong Customs’ Intellectual Property Investigation Bureau said it raided two retail shops of a syndicate and seized about 100 items of suspected counterfeit cosmetic products; two female salespersons, aged 17 and 23, were arrested.
EUBAM: smuggling of cigarettes to Transnistria drops to zero
The joint efforts of border guard and customs agencies of Moldova and Ukraine as well as the EU Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and Ukraine (EUBAM) has led to an impressive decrease in the suspected movement of tobacco products along the Moldovan-Ukrainian border.
During last two months of 2014, the transit of cigarettes from Odessa and Illichevsk ports to Transnistria dropped to zero. This was made possible through the timely response of the Mission, with the support of agencies in Moldova and Ukraine.
Counterfeit and pirated product market reaches $11 billion
The counterfeit and pirate product market is currently worth around $10.8 billion in Turkey, according to the report of Business Action to Stop Counterfeiting and Piracy (BASCAP), and similar losses are being repeated each year. According to the Turkish daily Dünya, $4.4 billion out of the $10.8 billion are items that have been produced abroad.
Across China: Chinese “makers” turn fake products market into innovation base
SHENZHEN, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) — Once a gray market notorious for selling copycat electronics, the Huaqiangbei mall in Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province, has become a paradise for innovators.
Technology enthusiasts from around the world have been flocking to Huaqiangbei shopping center, where all kinds of electronic components are sold. These “makers,” as they’re known within a growing movement of do-it-yourself inventors, craftsmen, and tinkerers, turn their ideas into new devices, often with the help of 3D printers, robotics, and other advanced tools. For some, it is a full-time job, while others pursue their projects as a hobby.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2015-01/19/c_133930659.htm
Lear MoreCounterfeit MAC makeup could be toxic
Canada’s most famous makeup brand is facing a big counterfeiting problem. Counterfeiters are trying to cash in on MAC cosmetics popularity and that’s putting consumers’ health at risk.
MargauxWosk is a fan of MAC cosmetics, but she was suspicious when the online site Buytopia sent her a prize package recently containing several MAC eye shadows.
“It didn’t seem like a retailer’s website would have the ability to sell brands that are generally sold through their main flagships,” said Wosk.
http://bc.ctvnews.ca/counterfeit-mac-makeup-could-be-toxic-1.2192491#ixzz3PLMLAcP4
Lear More210,000 tonnes of smuggled rice seized in China
Over 210,000 tonnes of smuggled rice worth 1.26 billion yuan ($205 million) was seized in China last year, a customs official has revealed.
The anti-smuggling bureau of General Administration of Customs (GAC) cracked 467 cases linked to rice in 2014 in a special drive against the smuggling of agricultural products, GAC’s deputy head Zhu Feng said Saturday .The campaign, dubbed “Green Wind”, mainly targetted grains, frozen meat products, sugar, cotton and cooking oil.
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Illegal tobacco factory discovered in Sevilla
THE largest illegal cigarette factory ever found in Spain has been busted by Guardia Civil. Ten people in Andalucia have been arrested for their role in producing around 65,000 packets of cigarettes per day at the illegal factory in Sevilla. Thirty tonnes of illegal tobacco and 64,500 packs of cigarettes ready for sale to the public were discovered when Guardia Civil raided homes, industrial premises and plots of land in the north of the province.
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Foreign vs. local tobacco in the Middle East
Banner Icon HEALTH Tobacco consumption in the region is notoriously high. Smoking is everywhere. But who’s running this powerful industry? Bassam Aoun investigates.
One of the most prolific industries currently operating in the Middle East and North Africa is big tobacco. This market seems immune to the roller coaster that is business life in the region, hardly affected by the socio-political risks that tend to keep investors at bay. While major tobacco product importers, such as British American Tobacco, Imperial Tobacco and Philip Morris International, dominate the market, there in fact exist several competing local players vying for their share of the pie.
http://www.yourmiddleeast.com/business/foreign-vs-local-tobacco-in-the-middle-east_29245
Lear MoreStrict IP laws urged to attract investments and technology
Although Qatar’s intellectual property (IP) laws and regulations are on a par with other countries of the region, it needs to enact stricter laws to attract foreign investments and technology, according to a senior official of a local consultancy specialising in IP-related matters. New laws will also meet challenges faced by the owners of industrial properties, said Hussain Al Obaidly, Managing Director, Alpha& Co IP. “Qatar being the host 2022 FIFA World Cup, there is a huge inflow of investments and those intending to establish business in the country would want that their IP rights are protected to the fullest,” Al Obaidly said.
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Study backs organised crime links to counterfeit medicines
Pills on a mapA study of counterfeits of a single medicine brand has found similarities that suggest one organised, criminal organisation is likely behind the trade. That is the conclusion drawn by scientists from pharma company Roche and the Institute of Forensic Science in Switzerland, who systematically profiled samples of the unnamed capsule product taken from 33 separate seizures around the world between 2004 and 2013.
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