Tobacco wholesaler with ties to Springfield accused of defrauding Massachusetts and Connecticut out of $43 million in tobacco tax revenue
A tobacco wholesaler with ties to Springfield is accused of robbing Connecticut and Massachusetts of $43 million in tobacco tax revenue. Syed I. Bokhari, 50, of Middletown, Connecticut, is the subject of a 32-count indictment involving charges of conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering, trafficking in contraband smokeless tobacco, and violating the Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking Act, according to U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz.
PACT, as the federal act is commonly known, took effect in 2010 and prohibits the U.S. Postal Service from carrying cigarettes in the mail. PACT aims to prevent tobacco smuggling by collecting all tobacco taxes. According to the indictment, Bokhari defrauded Massachusetts and Connecticut of millions by failing to pay excise taxes on cigars and smokeless products that were owed by businesses he owned and controlled. The illicit activity began in about 2008 and lasted through June 2012, according to federal prosecutors.
http://www.masslive.com/news/boston/index.ssf/2014/10/tobacco_wholesaler_accused_in.html
Lear MoreBattling Fake Auto Parts, Used Car Buying Tips & Latest Vehicle Accessories
This week on CNB Bazaar Buzz, we look at the growing problem of counterfeit auto parts in the market and how to avoid buying a fake spare part. We also show you how to know the exact condition of the used car you are planning to buy. Furthermore, we explore the world of vehicle accessories and bring you the latest from the riding gear market.
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Tobacco Tax Gaps: Small Rise Shows Need for New Government Action
Official figures released today show that the level of tobacco smuggling in the UK in 2013/14 has risen slightly since last year. According to HM Revenue & Customs, in 2013/14 an estimated 10% of cigarettes consumed in the UK were illicit compared to 9% in 2012/13. The figures for hand rolled tobacco were 39% in 2013/14 compared to 36% in 2012/13 (all figures mid-range estimates).
The figures show the need for the Government to act on recommendations on tobacco smuggling from the National Audit Office and the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee. The PAC reported that “HMRC has not yet found the right balance in its enforcement action, which can range from prosecutions of organised criminal gangs to imposing fines or referring offenders to licensing authorities for those involved in local, small-scale operations”. The House of Commons Home Affairs Select Committee has also sharply criticised the Government and enforcement authorities for failing to prosecute any of the major tobacco firms in cases where they have over-supplied tobacco to particular countries with low tobacco taxes, knowing that it will be smuggled back into the UK.
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Canada’s anti-fake legislation moves closer
Canada’s Combating Counterfeit Products Act is finally moving forward after months of debate, passing a third reading in Parliament.
The CCPA was first introduced in March 2013 and re-introduced the following November with identical wording, and is designed to provide rights owners and enforcement authorities with a framework for combating counterfeiting, including new civil and criminal penalties for trademark and copyright infringements.
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Anti-tobacco lobby herald price hike
A packet of cigarettes will cost €10 from today in a move welcomed by anti-tobacco campaigners. Finance Minister Michael Noonan announced a hike of 40c on a packet of 20 cigarettes, while a 25g packet of roll-your-own tobacco will increase by 20c. The changes mean the cost of a pack of cigarettes will break the €10 barrier for the first time. Almost 80% of the €10 paid for a box of cigarettes goes directly to the State through Vat and excise duty.
A packet of cigarettes will cost €10 from today in a move welcomed by anti-tobacco campaigners. Finance Minister Michael Noonan announced a hike of 40c on a packet of 20 cigarettes, while a 25g packet of roll-your-own tobacco will increase by 20c. The changes mean the cost of a pack of cigarettes will break the €10 barrier for the first time. Almost 80% of the €10 paid for a box of cigarettes goes directly to the State through Vat and excise duty.
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/anti-tobacco-lobby-herald-price-hike-291373.html
Lear MoreCounterfeit boss ‘behind savage attack on lawyer’
A 39-year-old man who was arrested by gardai investigating the attempted murder of a north Dublin solicitor is one of the main organisers of Ireland’s lucrative counterfeit clothing trade. The Dublin businessman was arrested on Monday in relation to the savage attack on Violet Quigley, the second time he has been questioned by officers investigating the knife assault. He was later released without charge.
Ms Quigley (47) suffered multiple stab wounds to her legs, stomach, arms and side as well as head injuries in the attack at her home in Donaghmede in April, 2011.
http://www.herald.ie/news/counterfeit-boss-behind-savage-attack-on-lawyer-30654980.html
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Hyundai loses counterfeit components lawsuit
A lawsuit brought by Korean carmaker Hyundai against a supplier accused of providing diverted or fake components has been dismissed by a US court.
The judge in the case concluded that Hyundai had not provided sufficient information to back up its trademark infringement claims against Florida-based Pinnacle Group LLC, a wholesaler which specialises in selling replacement parts for vehicles made by a wide range of car manufacturers.
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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
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