Seminar on Combating Counterfeiting and Smuggling- An Imperative to Accelerate Economic Development, Chennai
27/3/2018 | Hotel Raintree, Anna Salai, Chennai
FICCI CASCADE (Committee Against Smuggling and Counterfeiting Activities Destroying the Economy) organized a seminar on ‘Combating Counterfeiting and Smuggling – An Imperative to Accelerate Economic Development’ on March 27th, 2018 in Chennai. The object was to discuss the importance of increased awareness among stakeholders on the hazards of illicit trade, and the need for effective enforcement to enhance India’s economic development. Dr. K Jayanth Murali, ADGP Crime Branch CID, Tamil Nadu was of the view that illicit market for fake and smuggled products was one of the biggest challenges faced by Indian industry. In India, the issue of fake currency was also a serious problem as it was lucrative, and offered high returns. Besides, India had porous borders with countries like Nepal and Bangladesh which provided smugglers the opportunity to smuggle products into India. Mr. R. Srinivasa Naik, Commissioner of Customs, Chennai Customs Zone, in his address stated “In India, there is a strong demand for cheaper branded products from toys to airplane parts. Apart from significant economic loss in terms of revenue, the illicit and smuggling activities affects consumer health and safety, promotes money laundering causing huge loss of reputation to brand owners and our country as a whole.”
Ms. Kavitha Dutt, Co-Chairman, FICCI Tamil Nadu State Council, while welcoming the dignitaries, highlighted the objectives of the seminar which included generating awareness, interaction with law enforcement agencies and sharing of best practices. She said that the market for smuggled, counterfeits and contraband products was spreading its tentacles across the industry and this crime had increased manifold. She emphasized that it was imperative to reassure legitimate business owners and consumers that the government was serious about protecting their rights.
Mr. P C Jha, Advisor, FICCI CASCADE and Former Chairman, CBEC outlined the impact of counterfeiting & smuggling. “During the last twenty years, volume of counterfeiting activity has increased 100 times and the size of trade in counterfeited goods is 10% of the legal international trade (around 2% of the world’s overall economic output). The problem of illicit trade is much more serious than it is commonly perceived. It has a huge adverse impact on the security and economy of the country, revenue of the government, health of the people and on the environment. There is also no doubt that the illegal money generated through illicit trade in smuggled, counterfeited and pirated goods is a major source to finance such dangerous activities as terrorism, insurgency and other organized crimes”, said Mr. Jha.
Advisor, FICCI CASCADE and former Special Commissioner of Delhi Police, Mr. Deep Chand said that industry should cooperate with the police to ensure conviction and not stop at just filing complaints. “It is time that we, as a nation and as a part of the global economy, call for stern and resolute counterstrike measure against such ill-intentioned activities; starting with greater vigil at the borders to bilateral and multilateral engagements between nations, strengthening the enforcement agencies and working towards the removal of ambiguities in the law related to illicit products”, observes Mr. Chand.
On the factors behind consumers opting for counterfeit products, consumer right activist Nirmala Desikan said those who bought fake goods did so as they were cheaper. On drug counterfeiting, she said at one point of time there were about 35 counterfeits of the popular “Nimesulide” (a pain reliever) brand. She said consumers should be alert as such illicit products could be a cause of morbidity and mortality.
The seminar also marked the enthusiastic and encouraging support of Mr. P. Thamarai Kannan, Inspector General of Police, Crime (CID) and Mr. Jagannath Ramaswamy, Chief Mentor, Crystal. Mr. Ramaswamy emphasized on the role of organizations like FICCI and appealed to the industry to help protect the “Consumer”. Mr. Ruban Hobday, Head, FICCI Tamil Nadu State Council gave the Vote of Thanks. Over 150 people attended the seminar, which saw vigorous interaction with most delegates demonstrating an active interest in the issue.
Candle Light Congregation on Fight Against Counterfeiting and Smuggling, Thiruvananthapuram
22/2/2018 | Christ Nagar College, Thiruvananthapuram
As a part of its series of nation-wide awareness campaigns to highlight the issue of the growing menace of illicit trading activities, FICCI CASCADE also organized a candle light congregation for the students of Christ Nagar College, on 22nd February 2018 in Thiruvananthapuram. Over 200 students, with candles in their hands and banners stating, ‘Buy Make in India’ and ‘Say No to Smuggled Goods’ participated in this event with much zest and zeal. The congregation urged all to take a pledge against using fake products and to fight the menace of smuggling which was in the larger interest of the nation’s economy. The Principal of Christ Nagar College, Rev. Dr. Titto Varghese, commended FICCI CASCADE’s endeavour in initiating the nation-wide movement against counterfeit and smuggled goods. IGP Crime Branch, S Sreejith, who was the Chief Guest at the congregation, said that activities involving illicit trade curbed the economic independence of the nation and there was the need to collectively counter this menace.
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Seminar on Combating Counterfeiting and Smuggling- An Imperative to Accelerate Economic Development, Thiruvananthapuram
21/2/2018, Hotel Taj Vivanta, Thiruvananthapuram
Illicit business networks are infiltrating and undermining licit markets globally. In the process, they are jeopardizing public health and safety, discouraging research and development, and eroding government revenues, thus hurting the economic development of countries across the world.
With the objective of engaging relevant stakeholders, including government officials, enforcement agencies, youth, the media, industry, legal experts and consumer activists, and to sensitize them on the severe adverse impact that counterfeiting and smuggling activities entail, FICCI CASCADE organized a series of programme in Kerala during 21st to 23rd February 2018. The events provided a useful forum to deliberate on the challenges posed by the growing levels of such illicit activities, and generated valuable exchanges among the participating stakeholders.
On 21st February 2018, a seminar on the theme “Combating Counterfeiting and Smuggling – An Imperative to Accelerate Economic Development” was organized in Thiruvananthapuram, where experts from various fields came together to discuss the growing concern over illicit trade in the state and the need for awareness generation on the many adverse impacts of the menace among the impacted segments of the society.
Mr. V. S. Sunil Kumar, Minister for Agriculture, Government of Kerala, the Chief Guest on the occasion, underlined the need to generate awareness on the ill effects of such illicit trading activities, especially in a maritime state like Kerala, and the need for all concerned to fight this socio-economic menace. He observed that smuggling was emerging as a major threat to national security, and the funds generated through the large quantities of smuggled products, particularly of electronic products, foreign cigarettes, gold etc., were being used by criminal syndicates and terrorists.
Mr. P C Jha, Advisor FICCI CASCADE & Former Chairman, Central Board of Excise and Customs, pointed out that counterfeiting was the biggest scourge impairing the world’s economy, accounting for almost 10% of global trade. Elaborating on the magnitude of the problem, Mr Jha informed that in India the total loss to the government in respect of just seven items, as per a FICCI CASCADE study estimate, had increased steeply from Rs. 26,190 crore to Rs. 39,239 crores.
While observing that cigarettes, saffron and gold were the most smuggled items in Kerala, he said that loopholes in the taxation policy encouraged tax evasion leading to smuggling of goods. He also stated that counterfeiting was the number one crime of 21st century, putting at stake brand owners’ reputation, causing severe loss of revenue to the public exchequer, and posing a serious threat to the security – nationally and internationally.
The seminar also included a panel discussion on ‘Countering the Menace of Counterfeiting and Smuggling – Resolutions and Possible Solutions’, where experts from related areas discussed the issue at hand. Mr. Deep Chand, Advisor, FICCI CASCADE and Former Special Commissioner of Delhi Police, in his address said “8 to 15% of global GDP is impacted due to illicit trade and criminal activities. It is time that we, as a national and as a part of the global economy, call for stern and resolute counterstrike force against such ill-intentioned activities”.
The seminar also marked the enthusiastic and encouraging support of enforcement officers. Mr. S Sreejith, IG, Crime Branch, Kerala Police said that counterfeiting and smuggling activities soon graduated to organized crimes, and to check these, the law enforcement agencies should be made more powerful. Joint Commissioner of Customs, Mr. Aneish P Rajan, pointed out the lack of manpower and facilities to check the rising number of sophisticated smuggling activities in the state. He also expressed the concern that international smuggling networks appeared to be increasingly recruiting Kerala youth as carriers. Both the enforcement officials underlined the importance of consumer support in fighting the problem of counterfeiting and smuggling, the need for their active involvement in the cause, and how by merely registering their complaints with the police and custom departments could make a difference.
Adv. Jayakrishnan, Secretary, Bar Association of Thiruvanthapuram, spoke on the challenges faced in countering illicit trade, including the shortage of manpower, leakage of vital information, slow prosecution, corruption among officials, IPR crimes not given adequate importance – among others. Mr. S.N. Raghuchandran Nair, President, Trivandrum Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that the quest for luxury products like mobile phones, consumer durables etc. among consumers and specifically the youth was very high. We need to enlighten them on the related loss of revenue, educate the masses on the ill-effect of such products on their health and safety, impose stricter punishment and raise the will to curb the menace of illicit products. “Smuggling takes place in various forms including mis-declaration and undervaluation. Markets across India are flooded with smuggled items, consequences of which are alarming” said Mr. Shibu Prabhakaran, President, Kerala Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Mr. Arjun, Director, Parthas Textile and Dr. P T Ajith Kumar, CEO, Lights Logics Holography & Optics also spoke extensively on the subject.
Over 120 delegates attended the seminar and the event generated constructive interaction with delegates demonstrating an active interest in the issue.
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60,000 cigarettes, 30 kilos of rolling tobacco seized after car stopped in Derry
A 48-year-old man has been arrested, and approximately 60,000 cigarettes and more than 30 kilograms of hand rolling tobacco (HRT), seized by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) today in Derry.
The man was interviewed by HMRC officers on Friday 16 February, after a car was stopped by the PSNI in the the city area and searched. A quantity of cigarettes and HRT were discovered inside the car. HMRC officers also carried out a follow up search at a domestic premises in Newry and seized more tobacco products. The suspected illicit tobacco products are worth an estimated £33,000 in lost duty and taxes. Steve Tracey, Assistant Director, Fraud Investigation Service, HMRC, said:
“Tobacco fraudsters undercut legitimate retailers depriving the UK of money needed to fund our public services. “HMRC will continue to target the supply of illicit tobacco, which costs the UK around £2.5 billion a year.
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Eight million cigarettes seized by customs at Belfast port
A major cigarette smuggling operation has been disrupted by customs officers at Belfast port.
Eight million cigarettes destined for sale in the UK were discovered hidden on a ship from Singapore on Saturday, the Border Force said.
The load was listed as bed linen with a delivery address in Co Down, but during the search officers discovered 40 pallets with a total of 800 boxes containing the cigarettes.
This is the biggest single seizure of cigarettes at the port in six years.
Border Force said had the smuggling attempt not been stopped it could have cost the Treasury approximately £2.6 million in unpaid duty and VAT.
John Oldham, assistant director for Border Force Northern Ireland, said: “By stopping the shipment Border Force has starved those responsible of the proceeds of their criminality.
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Woman jailed for smuggling 3m illicit cigarettes into UK
A London woman who smuggled three million illicit cigarettes into the UK using false identities has been jailed after an investigation by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).
Xiou Yu Lin, 50, set up mailbox accounts in false names to receive packages, mainly from the Far East.
The parcels – from China, Hong Kong, Japan, India and the US – were wrongly declared as containing items such as ‘kids toys’ and ‘machinery parts’ to get through Customs and evade £904,865.73 in duty.
Southwark Crown Court heard Lin was involved in the scam between July 2011 and November 2016, illegally importing 3.2m cigarettes and 662.7kg of tobacco.
HMRC investigators caught Lin in Camden Town in November 2016 after she had picked up 6,000 Marlboro Gold cigarettes.
Lin, who admitted smuggling cigarettes and tobacco and several counts of using false documents, was sentenced to three years and four months in jail.
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Foreign currency worth Rs1.72 crore seized at Mumbai airport, three arrested
Jordan shoes shipped from China.
Customs officials said the 400 pairs of various styles of Air Jordans arrived Dec. 15 in seven parcels shipped from China and were seized when they arrived at a facility near Washington Dulles International Airport. The officials said the shoes, if authentic, would have a suggested retail prize totaling $54,715.
CBP said officers examining the shipment suspected the sneakers were counterfeit and the agency’s Consumer Products and Mass Merchandising Centers for Excellence and Expertise verified with Nike that the shoes were not authentic. The shoes had been destined for an address in Alexandra, Va., investigators said.
“Customs and Border Protection will continue to work closely with our trade and consumer safety partners to seize counterfeit and inferior merchandise, especially those products that pose potential harm to American consumers, negatively impact legitimate business brand reputations, and potentially steal jobs from U.S. workers,” said Daniel Mattina, CBP acting port director for the Area Port of Washington, D.C.
https://www.upi.com/Customs-officers-seize-55000-worth-of-fake-Nike-Air-Jordans/8071515595327/
5. Foreign currency worth Rs1.72 crore seized at Mumbai airport, three arrested.
14, January 2018 l Hindustan Times
In a huge haul of foreign currency, three Mumbra residents were arrested on Saturday at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) with US dollars worth Rs1.72 crore.
The trio was held before they could board a flight to Dubai. “This is the highest seizure at a single time since the past one year,” said a senior Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) officer of the Mumbai Customs. The accused have been identified as Moin Shaikh, Nizamuddin Shaikh and Anam Shaikh, all aged between 25 to 30. “The youngsters are carriers and were working for as less as Rs10,000 each for smuggling the currency,” the officer said.
Acting on a tip-off, the trio was intercepted after they checked-in at the airport. A search resulted in the recovery of US $ 2,75,000, equivalent to Rs1.72 crore. Out of the total currency recovered, Moin and Nizamuddin had kept $5,000 (Rs3.17 lakh) each in their pockets. The rest was kept in 10 tins of cosmetics and food products kept in their checked-in luggage. “The tins were resealed properly,” said the officer.
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Customs officers seize $55,000 worth of fake Nike Air Jordans
9, January 2018 l NewsX
Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Tuesday arrested fake currency note handler, Mataur Rehman who happens to be a resident of Malda. He is being brought to Delhi for detailed interrogation. Earlier, an investigation had suggested that there was a massive supply of counterfeit Indian currency from Malda villages in West Bengal. The DRI had earlier arrested a resident of Patna called Ram Prasad in connection with the racket from Old Delhi Railway Station. Both the accused have been arrested with Rs 2,000 denomination notes worth Rs 4 lakh.
Earlier, DRI had informed Reserve Bank of India (RBI) that two operators had been indulging in the selling of fake Indian counterfeit notes in and around Delhi. Since the demonetisation drive, during which new Rs 2000 notes were introduced, fake notes have been seized from many places across the country. Earlier, fake currency worth Rs 48,000 in the form of Rs 2000 notes were seized from Mathura. two people were also arrested in relation to the case. However, the supplier of fake notes had managed to flee from the spot before the raid by the police.
4. Customs officers seize $55,000 worth of fake Nike Air Jordans.
10, January 2018 l UPI
U.S. Customs and Border Protection said officers in Virginia seized nearly $55,000 worth of counterfeit Nike Air Jordan shoes shipped from China.
Customs officials said the 400 pairs of various styles of Air Jordans arrived Dec. 15 in seven parcels shipped from China and were seized when they arrived at a facility near Washington Dulles International Airport. The officials said the shoes, if authentic, would have a suggested retail prize totaling $54,715.
CBP said officers examining the shipment suspected the sneakers were counterfeit and the agency’s Consumer Products and Mass Merchandising Centers for Excellence and Expertise verified with Nike that the shoes were not authentic. The shoes had been destined for an address in Alexandra, Va., investigators said.
“Customs and Border Protection will continue to work closely with our trade and consumer safety partners to seize counterfeit and inferior merchandise, especially those products that pose potential harm to American consumers, negatively impact legitimate business brand reputations, and potentially steal jobs from U.S. workers,” said Daniel Mattina, CBP acting port director for the Area Port of Washington, D.C.
https://www.upi.com/Customs-officers-seize-55000-worth-of-fake-Nike-Air-Jordans/8071515595327/
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DRI arrests fake currency handler; seizes Rs 2000 notes from his possession
Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Tuesday arrested fake currency note handler, Mataur Rehman who happens to be a resident of Malda. He is being brought to Delhi for detailed interrogation. Earlier, an investigation had suggested that there was a massive supply of counterfeit Indian currency from Malda villages in West Bengal. The DRI had earlier arrested a resident of Patna called Ram Prasad in connection with the racket from Old Delhi Railway Station. Both the accused have been arrested with Rs 2,000 denomination notes worth Rs 4 lakh.
Earlier, DRI had informed Reserve Bank of India (RBI) that two operators had been indulging in the selling of fake Indian counterfeit notes in and around Delhi. Since the demonetisation drive, during which new Rs 2000 notes were introduced, fake notes have been seized from many places across the country. Earlier, fake currency worth Rs 48,000 in the form of Rs 2000 notes were seized from Mathura. two people were also arrested in relation to the case. However, the supplier of fake notes had managed to flee from the spot before the raid by the police.
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