IRA Terrorists Turn to Tobacco Smuggling as Black Market Thrives
Spanish police have arrested two former members of the Irish Republican Army (IRA) as part of an investigation into money laundering and tobacco smuggling, as the crack down on tobacco products makes the crime more lucrative.
Donna Maguire and Leonard Hardy, who have both served prison sentences in Germany and Holland for their roles in IRA attacks on the continent in the 1980s were arrested as part of a major police operation, the Belfast Telegraph reports.
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Cigarette Taxes Encourage Smuggling In Turkey
ISTANBUL – Tax hikes on cigarettes in Turkey are helping increase the demand for smuggled cigarettes from Iraq and Syria. In a written statement issued on January 2nd the head of the Confederation of Turkish Craftsmen and Tradesmen (TESK) BendeviPalandöken claimed that the annual increases to the rate of taxes on cigarettes and alcohol need to be frozen, as the hikes are leading to an increase in the smuggling. At the start of the year the tax applied to the sale of tobacco products was increased from TRY 0.13 per pack of cigarettes, to a rate of 0.1866 per pack of cigarettes, while the rate of tax on beer and wine was hike by 15 percent and 16 percent respectively.
http://www.taxationinfonews.com/2015/01/cigarette-taxes-encourage-smuggling-in-turkey/
Lear MoreAlibaba spends $161m to combat fake goods
China’s Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, the world’s largest e-commerce company, spent over 1 billion yuan ($160.7 million) combating fake goods and for improving customer protection from the beginning of 2013 to the end of November 2014, the firm said recently.
“From Alibaba Group’s perspective, we bear a serious responsibility in this fight against counterfeits,” said Jonathan Lu, Alibaba Chief Executive in a statement. Alibaba has been tackling counterfeit products with greater aggression in recent years, particularly in the run up to its record-setting $25 billion listing in New York in September.
Lear MoreTobacco smuggling prompts charge
A Chippewa Falls woman working as a contracted jail employee is accused of smuggling chewing tobacco to an inmate at the Eau Claire County Jail.
Michelle R. Herrmann, 44, 10834 161st St., was charged Tuesday in Eau Claire County Court with a felony count of delivering illegal articles to an inmate. She is free on a $1,500 signature bond and returns to court Feb. 12. According to the criminal complaint:
Jailers received information Dec. 16 that there was a kitchen staff employee providing tobacco products to inmates. An anonymous inmate said chewing tobacco was being brought to the jail from an outside source.
Lear MoreCounterfeit refrigerants throw a scare in UAE
A majority of residents of the United Arab Emirates are concerned about potentially dangerous counterfeit refrigerants, which are increasingly found in the Middle East, a report said.
More than half of the respondents to a survey in the UAE believe there are counterfeit refrigerants fraudulently labelled as brand-name, authentic refrigerants sold in the Emirates, added the survey conducted by technology company Honeywell as part of its campaign to fight counterfeiting.
http://www.tradearabia.com/news/REAL_272855.html
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Spanish police investigating smuggling operation involving former IRA members
Gardaí are assisting the Spanish police with their investigation into a multimillion euro tobacco and alcohol smuggling operation. Two former IRA members and convicted bombers Leonard Hardy and his wife Donna Maguire, who live outside Dundalk, were arrested in Spain last week. Garda sources say Maguire has now been released on bail and is due back in Ireland.
http://www.rte.ie/news/2015/0106/670654-spain-smuggling/
Lear MoreEx-IRA pair are arrested in Spain over tobacco smuggling probe
A suspected tobacco smuggler from Co Antrim and two former IRA members whose active service unit went on a killing spree around Europe have been arrested in Spain. It is understood they were detained as part of a major Spanish police operation against tobacco smuggling linked to south Armagh.
Those arrested include husband and wife, Donna Maguire and Leonard ‘Bap’ Hardy, who served prison sentences in Holland and Germany for their parts in IRA attacks on the continent in the late 1980s.
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Operation Team Player nets more than $25,000 worth of fake goods
The 2015 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic netted a win not only for the Washington Capitals, but also for intellectual property rights (IPR) advocates. Law enforcement seized $25,130 worth of counterfeit National Hockey League (NHL) gear and other merchandise leading up to the New Year’s Day outdoor game that featured the Capitals and Chicago Blackhawks at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. The operation was led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with assistance from the Metropolitan Police Department.
The $25,130 value is based on the manufacturer’s suggested retail price of the 680 items of counterfeit NHL gear and other sportswear seized by law enforcement.
https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/operation-team-player-nets-more-25000-worth-fake-goods
Lear MoreTechNavio Says Growth of the Healthcare Industry Expected to Impact the Global Anti-counterfeit Packaging Market by 2019
The Global Anti-counterfeit Packaging Market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 16.23 percent from 2015-2019, says research firm TechNavio. Rapid urbanization and heightened health awareness have increased spending on pharmaceuticals, which has made a huge impact on the Global Anti-counterfeit Packaging Market.
According to the latest report by TechNavio, the demand for product traceability has increased in recent years, both in healthcare and across other industries. Product traceability systems are aimed at keeping a record of product flow, and also keep track of product attributes throughout the production process.
Lear MoreHolograms to Grow in 2015, says IHMA
The hologram industry is likely to see further growth as the pace at which anti-counterfeiting technologies combine to provide multi-layered solutions continues to quicken.And while security applications remain the most valuable for the industry, 2015 is also expected to see substantial growth in the production of holographic optical elements (HOEs) for use in automotive displays and lighting, as well as for general lighting control.
Ian Lancaster, the general secretary of the International Hologram Manufacturers Association (IHMA), says his industry is meeting end-user needs due to the technology’s adaptability and capacity to push the boundaries of innovation and add value.
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