Webinar on Combating Counterfeiting and Smuggling during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond, North East
15/09/2020 | North East
Be Vocal for Local and Prevent Illicit Trade
The COVID-19 pandemic calls for greater focus on addressing the growing hazards of counterfeiting and smuggling which are severely impacting the economy and endangering lives of consumers. As businesses suffer, during this crisis, any sale of illicit products will only worsen the socio-economic distress. While arresting this menace is vital, encouraging the use of indigenous goods will also play a defining role to eliminate this threat. This will in turn promote ‘Brand India’, benefit Indian economy, reduce the demand of imported goods, avoid dumping of cheap products, create jobs and deter cross border illicit trade.
FICCI CASCADE with this view is organizing a webinar on ‘Combating Counterfeiting and Smuggling during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond’ on 15th September 2020 at 3:00 pm. Shri Pabitra Khaund, ACS, Secretary, Department of Industries & Commerce, Government of Assam and Shri Debajyoti Dutta, ACS, Secretary, Food & Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Government of Assam have kindly consented to give special address at the programme. The webinar will bring together policy makers, think tanks, enforcement agencies, industry and consumers to deliberate on this topical issue.
For registration, please write to us at:kashifa.hasan@ficci.com
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Webinar on Combating Counterfeiting and Smuggling during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond , Chhattisgarh
31/08/2020 | Chhattisgarh
Be Vocal for Local and Prevent Illicit Trade
FICCI’s Committee Against Smuggling and Counterfeiting Activities Destroying the Economy (CASCADE) organized the next edition of its state specific webinars on Combating Counterfeiting and Smuggling during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond’ for the state of Chhattisgarh on August 31, 2020.
Mr Kawasi Lakhma, Minister, Commerce and Industry, Govt. of Chhattisgarh, was the Chief Guest at the programme. Mr Lakhma said, “Effective actions to eliminate smuggling and counterfeiting from the State is a focus area for our government and the concerned departments are extremely vigilant in dealing with such cases.” In his address Mr. Lakhma highlighted that the Chhattisgarh government has taken unprecedented reforms to create an enabling environment and is committed to offering investor a friendly infrastructure. He also added that it is imperative that we must all collaboratively check and substantially reduce the illicit market operations and create an eco-system for growth and development in the State.
As cases related to smuggling and counterfeiting rise steeply during the past few months, this webinar was organized to discuss and understand the disruptions caused by the pandemic, which have opened multiple avenues for criminals to prey upon susceptible organizations and consumers. Mr Manoj Kumar Pingua, Principal Secretary Department of Commerce & Industry, Government of Chhattisgarh said, “India’s role as a global economic powerhouse is increasingly linked to its ability to ensure that rights of legitimate business holders are protected with strong rules, and strong enforcement of the laws and regulations”. He further underscored the need for effective coordination between central and state agencies, strengthening domestic manufacturing, addressing the demand and supply gap and leveraging technology, which will make markets free from illicit products.
Sharing enforcement perspectives, Mr R. K. Vij, Additional Director General of Police, Chhattisgarh said, “During COVID times the Chhattisgarh police has taken strict action against people who have been involved in smuggling and have dealt strongly against those who have indulged in the black marketing of consumer goods”. Mr. Vij also suggested that a nodal agency comprising of representatives from different government departments could be formed to ensure coordinated actions against this menace.
Complimenting the Chhattisgarh government and the enforcement agencies for relentlessly pursuing the perpetrators of illicit trade, Mr Anil Rajput, Chairman, FICCI CASCADE said that under the leadership of the commerce and industries minister, promotion of local goods and legitimate businesses will create a conducive environment for the economy of the state government and play a major role in strengthening India.
The session was chaired by Mr Sanjeev Tripathi, Former R&AW Chief and Think Tank Member, FICCI CASCADE. The concluding remarks were made by Mr Pradeep Tandon, Chairman, FICCI Chhattisgarh State Council and President, Jindal Steel and Power Ltd. The webinar was attended by industry, government officials, officers from the enforcement agencies and stakeholders in this segment.
Kindly register at https://webinar.ficci.com/combating/index.php to take parts in the deliberations.
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Gold worth Rs 1.15 crore seized from two passengers at Coimbatore airport
COIMBATORE: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) have seized 2.6kg of gold, worth Rs 1.15 crore, from two passengers at Coimbatore International Airport. The seized gold was in paste form.
A few weeks ago, the DRI personnel received a tip-off regarding gold smuggling that is to be carried out by a gang based in Dubai through the Coimbatore airport. Since then, DRI officials led by deputy director G Satish were on high alert.
A couple of weeks ago, an Air India Express flight — that was operated under ‘Vandhe Bharat Mission’ — from Dubai landed in Coimbatore. While monitoring the passengers, the personnel questioned a couple, who were natives of Palladam in Tirupur district. The couple had completed their immigration, medical and customs formalities, according to officials.
“As their answers were not convincing and appeared nervous, they were subjected to personal searches. The officials recovered three packets that were stitched on to their inner garments. The packets contained 2.6 kg of gold in paste form,” the official said.
Lear MoreFake cosmetics seized in Hat Yai
SONGKHLA: A large quantity of illegal cosmetic products were seized in a search of a house on Withi Santi road in tambon Bang Phru of in Hat Yai district on Wednesday morning.
Police and health officials were acting on information the house was used for the production and packaging of cosmetic products for an unregistered brand.
The search was conducted by Thung Lung police and officials led by Wilaiwan Sakrin, chief of the consumer protection section of the Songkhla Public Health Office.
They seized containers with four kinds of cream for skin whitening and eradicating skin blemishes, cream jars and boxes.
The seized items, worth about 2 million baht on the street, filled 60 cardboard boxes. They were loaded on a truck and taken to Thung Lung police station for further legal proceedings.
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1974971/fake-cosmetics-seized-in-hat-yai
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Fake money syndicate busted
POLICE in Bulawayo have smashed what appears to have been a well-orchestrated fake foreign currency manufacturing racket, arresting a teenage girl and her boyfriend who were allegedly printing the counterfeit money. Police expect to make more arrests as they say the syndicate could involve more people.
During a raid at a house where the couple stayed in North End, police recovered an assortment of fake high denominations of US dollars and South African Rand stashed under a mattress.
Police suspect that several unsuspecting people could have fallen prey to the fraudsters. One of suspects, Chantelle Sibalwa (18) was arrested while trying to use a fake US$100 bill to buy a box of chicken at a local food outlet.
She led investigators to her boyfriend, Onesmus Zimunya (33)’s house where US$2 265 and R1 700 in fake money, an HP Diskjet printer, bond paper, rulers and razor blades allegedly used in the commission of the crime were recovered. It is suspected the fraudsters could have been changing the fake money for real currency by buying stuff and getting change.
https://www.chronicle.co.zw/fake-money-syndicate-busted/
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Gold smuggling busted by Chennai Customs, gold foils worth Rs 78.4 lakh seized.
The Chennai Air Customs Gold seized gold foils weighing 1.45 kilograms and worth Rs 78.4 lakh on Saturday. The smuggled gold, which came in unaccompanied baggage from Dubai, was concealed between layers of cardboard boxes that contained toys and bedsheets. The passenger, who hails from Kallakurichi in Tamil Nadu, was arrested.
The arrested passenger was working as an electrician in Dubai and had lost his job because of COVID-19. He had returned to the country recently.
According to Customs, a passenger who had arrived from Dubai earlier, had come to the customs section on Saturday for the clearance of his personal household goods, which had arrived by IndiGo Airlines Flight 6E 9480 as unaccompanied baggage. On opening the carton boxes, they found bedspread and toy boxes, among other items. The bedspread was wrapped around a cardboard sheet, which appeared to be unusually heavy.
On tearing the cardboard sheet, gold foil, wrapped in carbon paper, was found concealed between the two layers of cardboard sheet. Similarly, cardboard sheets were found in all the toy boxes as well. On tearing open the sheets, gold foils wrapped in carbon paper were found concealed inside two cardboard sheets.
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Over 120,000 Counterfeit Golf Products Seized In Multi-City Raids In China
A historic crackdown on counterfeit golf equipment seized 120,000 pieces of fake product bearing brand names such as Titleist, TaylorMade, PXG, PING, Callaway and XXIO after police in China simultaneously raided 10 locations in four different cities this week.
The U.S. Golf Manufacturers Anti-Counterfeiting Working Group, also known as the Golf Group, announced the successful raids against the online product sellers. The joint operation, conducted with assistance from the Golf Group, was carried out by more than 100 Shanghai Police offers as well as local police in the Guangdong and Fujian Provinces in China.
Counterfeit products confiscated in the raids include golf clubs, club heads, shafts, grips, bags, labels and more, making it the largest crackdown against online counterfeit golf sellers ever conducted in China. The entire network was completely uprooted, from the manufacturer of club heads, and the shaft and grip suppliers to owners of assembling workshops, shipping centers, and online chat rooms. A total of 15 suspects were detained and later arrested.
Lear MoreLiquor smuggler with car having I-T dept sticker arrested, 3000 quarters of alcohol seized.
Delhi Police has arrested a liquor smuggler and recovered 3,000 quarters of illicit liquor from his car. During the course of investigation, the accused Hari Chand disclosed that he works as a driver for Sandeep Pehlwan who asked him to transport the said liquor from Suraj Kund, Faridabad to Baghpat, UP. He used to earn Rs 25,000 monthly for this work.
A sticker of the Income-Tax Department was pasted on the car by Sandeep. An identity card of civil defence in Sandeep’s name was also given to him. The accused Hari Chand disclosed that he used to show this ID card of civil defence whenever he was checked at pickets, etc.
In the continuing action against the liquor smugglers, teams were constituted to curb the menace. During the intervening night of August 19-20, a dedicated team were checking vehicles near Crown Plaza picket. At about 11 pm, a Toyota Corolla car was seen coming from the Tughlakabad side. The police team signalled the car driver to stop the vehicle but rather than slowing down, he sped up the car. However, the alert police staff intercepted the car with the help of barricades. Instead of opening the car door, the driver tried to flee by putting the car in back gear. However, the police staff broke the car’s window and apprehended the driver.
Lear MoreJUST IN: 6 arrested for smuggling cigarettes
SOUTH African police (SAPS) have arrested six men believed to be Zimbabweans after they intercepted haulage trucks that were carrying cigarettes worth millions of rands that had been smuggled across the border from this country.
The suspects were arrested after a joint intelligence operation by the SAPS and the South African Revenue Service (SARS) in Eldorado Park, Johannesburg.
The cigarettes included brands such as Remington Gold, Chelsea, Royal Express and Premium.
In a statement SAPS said: “Six suspects were arrested after the integrated team discovered the suspects in the process of loading boxes of illicit cigarettes onto a number of trucks, which were allegedly going to be dispatched to a destination yet to be confirmed.”
“Preliminary reports suggest that the crime scene at an industrial site in Eldorado Park, Johannesburg, was being used as a distribution point where alleged traders and in this case, the six arrested suspects, would collect the illicit cargo for further distribution and sales.”
https://www.herald.co.zw/just-in-6-arrested-for-smuggling-cigarettes/
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ICA foils bid to smuggle 5,000 cartons of cigarettes hidden under lorry
SINGAPORE – More than 5,000 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes were found hidden under a Malaysian-registered lorry at Tuas Checkpoint last Thursday (Aug 13).
The lorry’s driver, a 47-year-old Malaysian, has been charged in court. The duty evaded for the cigarettes amounted to $429,310, and the goods and services tax evaded was $34,760.
Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers had spotted something suspicious about the exterior of the lorry, which was carrying a consignment of precast concrete. They then pried open a small section of the lorry bed, revealing 5,026 cartons and 10 packets of assorted duty-unpaid cigarettes hidden in it.
The case was handed over to Singapore Customs for further investigation, said ICA on Tuesday.
ICA said it will continue to conduct security checks at checkpoints to prevent attempts to smuggle undesirable persons, drugs, weapons, explosives and other contraband goods across Singapore’s borders.
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