Leading global players join FICCI CASCADE in addressing the global threat of illicit trade
Leading international institutions like World Customs Organization (WCO), INTERPOL, United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Organization for Economic Corporation and Development (OECD) and US Homeland Security will represent at FICCI CASCADE’s [Committee against Smuggling and Counterfeiting Destroying the Economy] 4th edition of its flagship annual international event titled under the title: MASCRADE 2017–Movement Against Smuggling and Counterfeit Trade scheduled on 12- 13 October 2017 in New Delhi. This year, the theme of the conference is ‘Protect Your Brand Globally: Fight Counterfeiting, Smuggling and Piracy’.
The market for contraband, smuggled and counterfeit goods is thriving in India and is today one of the biggest challenges faced by Indian industry. India today has the potential to become a global manufacturing hub. However, widespread smuggling, counterfeiting and piracy, can act as a dampener in achieving this goal.
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Lorry driver caught smuggling cigarettes jailed
A lorry driver caught smuggling eight million cigarettes into the UK has been jailed for two and half years. 40 year old Artur Staniszczak tried to evade more than £2 million in excise duty and was arrested in Dover Eastern Docks in July.
The arrest came after a search of the lorry he was driving revealed 7.9 million Richmond Blue branded cigarettes, instead of the 33 pallets of paper goods shown on the import documents.
Staniszczak pleaded guilty to evading excise duty at Maidstone Crown Court on 15th August 2017.
He was immediately jailed for two and a half years, of which 15 months must be served in custody.
Upon sentencing, His Honour Judge Carey, said: “You acted out of character by doing something criminal. Your role, in my judgement, was clearly a significant role.”
http://www.itv.com/news/meridian/update/2017-08-17/lorry-driver-caught-smuggling-cigarettes-jailed/
Lear MorePolice bust foreign cigarette smuggling racket
The Hyderabad Police busted illegal smuggling of foreign cigarettes in the country, on learning that the cigarettes were being smuggled into the city through trains.
According to officials of the Commissioner’s Task Force, cigarettes from Bangladesh are entering the country and being transported across India through the railway network. On Monday, officials who were tipped off about one such consignment arriving at Nampally Railway station, arrested a man who was operating out of Begum Bazar. The accused, Ajaz Ali Raza, was at the railway station to receive the consignment worth over ₹ 19 lakh.
Upon interrogation, the man revealed that the consignment had arrived from New Delhi but was originally sourced from Bangladesh. After it reaches the city, Raza would distribute the cigarettes to various outlets for sale. “These cigarettes were being imported without paying customs duty and thus were causing a loss to the government. That apart, they do not carry pictorial warnings about the ill- effects of cigarettes on health,” a police official informed.
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More than 1,000 containers of illicit alcohol seized at border
More than 1,000 containers of illicit alcohol have been seized at the Texas-Mexico border so far in the 2017 fiscal year.
This includes bottles that were not properly labeled, contained dangerous additives or were carried in improper containers that made the liquid unsafe for consumption.
Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission officials have said that this is a common problem among travelers crossing into Texas from Mexico. Tax Compliance Officers from TABC’s Ports of Entry Division have spoken out about the dangers of this type of smuggling.
“It’s not uncommon for our TCOs to identify alcohol in unmarked containers, such as a gasoline container or water bottle,” TABC Ports of Entry chief John Reney said in a prepared statement. “These products, if allowed to enter Texas, could prove dangerous to consumers. For that reason, we seize the products and destroy them before they can enter the marketplace.”
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Customs seizes over 30,000 counterfeit toys arriving at port in Charleston
Over $120,000 of counterfeit toys were taken by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents as they arrived at Charleston port, WTOC reports.
Trademarks belonging to Saban Brands, which holds the rights to Power Rangers, and Danjaq, which owns the copyright on “James Bond 007” were found as part of the shipment, as were trademarks for Apple Inc. and Cartoon Network, according to WTOC.
The shipment’s origin was China, and WTOC reports that it arrived in late June headed for an importer in North Carolina, according to Rob Brisley, spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security.
WTOC reported that in addition to the financial impact to rights holders, counterfeit products pose safety concerns because their manufacturers have no reason to adhere to safety guidelines when it comes to production or materials according to Robert Fencel, director of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency’s Charleston Area Port.
http://www.islandpacket.com/news/state/south-carolina/article164363777.html
Lear MoreAirman, former airman, arrested in Australia smuggling ring
A U.S. airman and a former airman were arrested June 28 for their alleged involvement in an international smuggling ring, local Australian news sources reported this week.
Staff Sgt. Christopher Paul and former SrA Jarvis Cobb “were arrested by Australian authorities on charges related to the importation of tobacco products with intent to defraud revenue,” U.S. Pacific Air Forces confirmed in a statement sent to Air Force Times. Paul was assigned to the Air Postal Squadron, Detachment 4, in Sydney, and Cobb was with the U.S. Military Post Office in Sydney before leaving the service, according to Air Force records. PACAF said Paul has already pleaded guilty to a charge of importing ‘tobacco products with intent to defraud revenue.’
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Three South Asians arrested for selling fake luxury products
Police arrested three South Asian men for allegedly selling fake luxury products to foreign tourists in Tsim Sha Tsui. Initial police investigation showed that the suspects have been living in Hong Kong for the past two to five years after seeking asylum by claiming they were torture victims in their countries of origin, news website hk01.com reports.
Those arrested include two Bangladeshis and one Indian national, aged between 27 and 38.
The operation was launched by the Intellectual Property Investigation Bureau of the Customs and Excise Department following reports that some gang members of South Asian origin were harassing foreign tourists and coaxing them into flats in Chungking Mansions, Tsim Sha Tsui Mansion and Mirador Mansion to buy fake luxury products.
http://www.ejinsight.com/20160506-3-south-asians-arrested-for-selling-fake-luxury-products/
Lear More9 arrested for smuggling meat with fake kosher symbols from the PA
Police forces arrested on Monday nine suspects who imported meat from South America that was meant to be transported to the PA, but instead ended up in Israel. According to the allegations, a network of Israeli and Palestinian Arab smugglers fraudulently brought the meat from the PA into Israel. The meat was reportedly marked with counterfeit kosher symbols.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/Flash.aspx/356017#.VwYFWZx97IU
Lear MoreSeminar on ‘Curbing Counterfeiting and Smuggling – An Imperative for Indian Economy’, Hyderabad
10/16/2015 | Hyderabad
FICCI CASCADE with a view to engage all relevant stakeholders like government representatives, enforcement agencies, excise and customs, consumer activists, media as well as industry and legal experts; and to sensitize them on the issues of counterfeiting and smuggling organized a seminar in Hyderabad on “Curbing Counterfeiting and Smuggling – An Imperative for Indian Economy” on October 16, 2015. The seminar brought experts from different disciplines of life under one roof to raise the concern over the growing illicit trade and to create large-scale awareness among the impacted segments of the society.
Counterfeit trade has attracted considerable attention among trade associations, government and enterprises. Therefore, to support the cause, the seminar witnessed huge participation of over 80 delegates who were very enthusiastic to fight the menace.
Mr. Devendra Surana, Co-Chairman, FICCI Telangana & Andhra Pradesh State Council & Managing Director, Bhagyanagar India Ltd, welcomed the dignitaries and highlighted the objectives of the seminar like generating awareness, interaction with law enforcement agencies and sharing best practices. He said that the market for smuggled, counterfeits and contraband products was spreading rapidly and was one of the biggest challenges faced by the Indian industry. He further added that knowledge and innovation needed not only be protected but also encouraged.
FICCI CASCADE adviser Mr. P C Jha pointed out that counterfeiting was the biggest scourge impairing the world’s economy at present and it accounted for almost 10% of the current global trade. Mr. Jha discussed the magnitude of the problem and cited that in India the total loss to the government in respect of the seven items, as per a FICCI CASCADE study, had increased steeply from Rs. 26,190 crore to Rs. 39,239 crores. He highlighted the fact that loopholes in the taxation policy encouraged tax evasion leading to smuggling of goods. He also stated that counterfeiting wass the number one crime of 21st century. It stakes brand owner’s reputation, causes loss of revenue to the public exchequer, and poses a serious threat to the security – nationally and internationally.
The seminar also marked the enthusiastic and encouraging support of the Consumer rights activist Mr. Thakur Raj Kumar Singh, Chairperson & Managing Trustee, Human Rights & Consumer Protection Cell. Mr. Singh emphasized on the role of organizations like FICCI and appealed to the industry to help protect the “Consumer”. He underlined the fact that consumers were the ultimate victims of counterfeiting and smuggling, and their rights were being violated by counterfeiters and smugglers. He stressed on strengthening the penal provision to instill fear in counterfeiters and smugglers to curb the menace.
Mr Deep Chand, Adviser FICCI CASCADE and former Special Police Commissioner, Delhi Police, pointed out that the problem of counterfeiting and smuggling needed consumer support and active involvement towards the cause. Healso stressed on the need for registering complaints with the police and customs. Mr. Chand stated that the laws were adequate but the need was to put this evil as the priority agenda of the government while enforcing laws and regulations. He also said that problem of counterfeiting and smuggling gave rise to unscrupulous and anti-social elements in the society, creating a major security threat to the nation. Mr. Deep Chand emphasized on awareness among the stakeholders as a very important aspect in the enforcement of laws and appreciated FICCI CASCADE for its move to make a dent in this vast field which has remained unexplored so far.
Mr. Sunil Jain, Commissioner of Customs, Central Excise and Service Tax, Hyderabad Zone said that counterfeiting and smuggling continued to thrive globally due to the consumers’ propensity to acquire branded products at low cost, while the lack of awareness of the attached hazards added to this menace. Mr. Jain said that the role of customs has become more challenging with the growing sophistication in the manufacturing of counterfeit products. He invited the growing cooperation of the right holders to help the customs authorities for better management of the problem.
Mr. Srinivas Reddy, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Telangana expressed his concern towards the growing level of illicit trade and said that the problem could not be neglected. He also stated that smuggling, counterfeiting and other such illicit practices surreptitiously cascaded into national security issues like trade in narcotics, money laundering and terrorism. He cautioned the audience that our nation’s economic security was at stake and illicit economic activities were damaging the country’s economic vitality.
The subject of counterfeiting and smuggling is very vast and complex and there is a need to target and educate the masses to buy genuine products. The seminar witnessed vigorous interactions with delegates demonstrating an active interest in the issue. The seminar ended with a common view that the problem of counterfeiting and smuggling was multifaceted and complex and needed to be discussed time and again, with government, to emphasize on effective and adequate laws and enforcement; increasing engagement with the industry and, most importantly, creating awareness in the society to curb the menace of counterfeiting and smuggling.
Grimsby store owner fined £4k over stash of illicit cigarettes and tobacco
A SHOP owner has been fined £4,000 and ordered to pay £685 in costs and charges after Trading Standards officers from North East Lincolnshire Council found illicit cigarettes and tobacco during three separate visits.
DarbasMallah Hassan, 28, former owner of the Cornershop Newsagent and Slavika in Freeman Street, Grimsby, pleaded guilty to ten offences under the Consumer Protection Act 1987 and Trade Marks Act 1994 at Grimsby Magistrates’ Court .
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