
Plain Packaging risk creating a prefect storm for smugglers and terror group
In 2009 I witnessed a massive illegal cigarette haul. 120 million cigarettes, smuggled into Northern Ireland by the IRA. The seizure, in the heart of ‘bandit country’, was the largest ever seen in Europe, with an estimated street value of nearly £45 million.More recently, in January of this year, two of the IRA’s most senior operatives, ex-bomber Lenoard ‘Bap’ Hardy and his wife Donna Maguire were detained in Spain, not on terrorism charges, but because of their involvement in a smuggling ring.
You might ask why this matters to someone who more usually concerns themselves with helping small and medium sized businesses. Simple, back in 2009 I sat on a Parliamentary committee concerned with controlling the export and supply of arms. The proceeds of these illegal activities would have been funneled into criminal and terrorist activities including the illegal arms trade
Related Posts
Corrupt, chaotic market management turns Hanoi into hub for smugglers
Ineffective law enforcement has turned Hanoi into a smuggling hub where...
Assam Rifles recovered foreign origin cigarettes in Champhai district
AIZAWL: In yet another success in its crusade against smuggling activities,...
RongKluea Vendors Given Time to Sell Counterfeits
In response to a Thai military crackdown on counterfeit products in multiple...
Palisades Park man sentenced to time served for role in counterfeit-goods ring
NEWARK – A federal judge showed leniency toward a Bergen County man on Thursday,...