OLAF-led operation seizes counterfeit goods and 130 million illicit cigarettes
More than 1.2 million counterfeit goods and 130 million cigarettes have seized during a two-week international joint customs operation co-ordinated by the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF).
According to a European Commission press note, the operation, code-named REPLICA, targeted the import of counterfeit goods by sea. ‘Under the co-ordination of OLAF, customs authorities carried out targeted physical or X-ray controls on several hundred selected containers,’ the press note said.
http://world.einnews.com/article/228838432/yLwo7HGdDApg78o9
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Polish lorry driver jailed after being caught trying to smuggle ONE MILLION cigarettes into Britain
A lorry driver has been jailed after being caught trying to smuggle more than a million cigarettes into Britain. Polish national Artus Olszok was caught bringing seven massive boxes of cigarettes into the country, smuggled inside his lorry-load of wood.
Olszok, who claimed he was being paid only 200 euros (£157) for the illegal task, was discovered to have more than 10,000 euros (£7,900) in the cab during the stop-and-search in Dover, Kent, in July.
The 31-year-old was jailed for 20 months at Maidstone Crown Court on Friday, after admitting the fraudulent evasion of excise duty.
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Counterfeit goods on the agenda at TFWA World Exhibition & Conference
The threat posed by the influx of counterfeit goods to the luxury goods market is on the agenda of a newly announced workshop at the 2014 TFWA World Exhibition & Conference, which takes place in the Palais des Festivals, Cannes from 26 to 31 October. “Estimates from OECD value the global counterfeit market at between US$600 billion and US$700 billion per year, and we know that the counterfeit goods market is a huge problem for premium brands, many of whom are members of TFWA,” said TFWA President Erik Juul-Mortensen. “Although our industry is successful in ensuring that goods offered in duty free & travel retail outlets are sourced from genuine suppliers, the threat of fakes is always present and indeed growing as miscreants become ever more inventive.”
http://www.moodiereport.com/document.php?c_id=6&doc_id=41228
Lear More$500K in counterfeit goods seized from east side flea market
INDIANAPOLIS – n A major raid at an Indianapolis flea market turned up $500,000 worth of counterfeit goods.Excise officers made the bust Sunday at the Liberty Bell Carpet and Flea Market near Washington and Post on the east side. Among the merchandise they seized were purses, watches, shoes and clothing. All of them were knock-offs of name-brand products sold by companies like Nike, Gucci and Louis Vuitton.Police had to use two U-Haul trucks and a large trailer to take all of the items from the scene.Prosecutors will consider possible charges once investigators forward them the case. As of Sunday night, no arrests had been made.
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Ballymena council chief defended over link to tobacco smuggler
“I don’t know what the story is regarding the chief executive, cigarettes and whatever companion she might have,” he told the News Letter. “In her own right at Ballymena Borough Council and the new Mid and East Antrim Council I have seen no misdemeanour whatsoever on her part. “It is obvious that this is a private matter outside of council that I will not be commenting on.” A spokesman for Ballymena Borough Council said no comment would be forthcoming on the matter.
“Matters relating to Ms Donaghy’s private life must remain private, and as such we have no further comment,” he said. Ms Donaghy, the current chief executive of Ballymena Borough Council, is understood to have been selected to fill the role of CEO in the new Mid and East Antrim ‘super council’.
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Gang caught running £180k tobacco plot
A St Helens man who was part of a gang that smuggled £180,000 worth of cigarettes into the UK has been spared jail. Dale O’Brien admitted bringing tobacco into the country as part of a plot to avoid paying tax. The 36-year-old was part of a plot headed by flight attendant Dennis Connolly, who organised more than 130 smuggling trips for himself and five others using his airline staff discounts.
O’Brien, of Gaskell Street, Parr, was sentenced to a 12-month jail term suspended for two years for his part in the plot.
http://www.sthelensreporter.co.uk/news/local/gang-caught-running-180k-tobacco-plot-1-6884372
Lear MoreCheap Office Supplies May Be Draining Your Wallet
NAPSI)—Anyone who thinks of a printer’s toner cartridge as a mere vessel might be surprised to learn that it’s actually a critical component of the device itself.
Inside that cartridge, toner is a marvel of engineering. “Original toners are manufactured with great consistency and precision, each designed to work with its specific cartridge and printer,” said Michael Borg, Portfolio Lead and Strategic Business Manager for HP’s LaserJet Supplies. “That’s why using generic toner is a bit like putting regular gas into a car that needs premium. The printer will still work but it may not perform well and, over time, could be damaged.”
Lear MoreYuletide: Customs warn smugglers to stay clear of border post
As the countdown to the yuletide season begins, Zonal Coordinator in charge of Zone ‘A’ of the Nigeria Customs Service, Assistant Comptroller General Victor Gbemudu has warned smugglers to stay clear of the nation’s border post. Gbemudu who gave the warning while speaking with SHIPS & PORTS DAILY in his office in Lagos said that the zone has placed officers on red alert to ensure that smugglers do not take advantage of the yuletide season to bring in smuggled goods as level of importation is expected to increase. According to him, the zone’s anti-smuggling arm, the Federal Operations Unit and commands within the border areas have been strengthened to improve on their anti-smuggling activities, one of the measures he said accounted for the seizures recorded by the unit in recent times.
http://shipsandports.com.ng/yuletide-customs-warn-smugglers-to-stay-clear-of-border-post-2/
Lear More3 Willingboro residents plead guilty in Va. cigarette smuggling
STAFFORD, Va. (AP) — Three Willingboro residents have pleaded guilty in Virginia to charges stemming from a cigarette smuggling scheme. The Free Lance-Star (http://bit.ly/1vOX1ts ) reports that 38-year-old Xochilt Williams and 44-year-old Mark Briscoe, both of Willingboro, New Jersey, pleaded guilty on Wednesday in Stafford Circuit Court to racketeering, credit card forgery and credit card theft. Each is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 11.
Lear MoreR.I. men sentenced in cigarette smuggling case
PROVIDENCE – A Pawtucket man and a Central Falls man were sentenced Thursday to federal prison for their roles as leaders of a complex interstate conspiracy that transported more than 6 million contraband cigarettes from Virginia to Rhode Island.
Wissam Khalil, 41, of Central Falls was sentenced to 42 months and Bassam Nazir, 49, of Pawtucket, was sentenced to 33 months. Both men will be placed on probation for three years after their release from prison, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
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