Thousands of ‘counterfeit’ cigarettes seized by police in Barrow.
THOUSANDS of cigarettes thought to be counterfeit have been taken off the streets of Barrow. Trading Standards are investigating after hundreds of packets of the tobacco products worth nearly £3,000 were seized by police.
Authorities have sent the products back to the manufacturer to check whether they are counterfeit. Barrow Council’s health spokesman Iain Mooney said he was concerned there would be more of the products on the streets.
“These dealers usually target children and people in more deprived areas.
“We’ve seen an increase in this as deprivation has risen.
“Illegal tobacco poses a number of risks to the public, with many batches being cut with even more harmful additives.
“Dealers are known to target children, getting them hooked on tobacco at an early age and then often supplying them with drugs also.
“Smoking puts huge pressures on our NHS services and the complications caused by illegal tobacco only exacerbates this.”
https://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/18269274.thousands-counterfeit-cigarettes-seized-police-barrow/
Lear More
China has seized 31 million fake face masks amid crisis
BEIJING: China’s crisis has sparked a thriving black market in fake medical supplies, forcing a crackdown from the authorities who have seized 31 million counterfeit or substandard face masks.
Fraudsters have begun producing illegal products to satisfy runaway demand as masks and disinfectant remain in short supply and manufacturers struggle to keep up.
In one case this month, swindlers took customers’ cash and gave them fake delivery notes for masks that did not exist, Chinese security officials said.
Mr Du Hangwei, deputy minister of public security, told a press conference yesterday that masks and other products worth 174 million yuan (S$35 million) had been seized and police had dealt with 22,000 criminal cases related to the virus epidemic.
https://www.tnp.sg/news/world/china-has-seized-31-million-fake-face-masks-amid-crisis
Lear More
Fake cigarettes from Malaysia flood Kerala market; Rs 25000 worth cigarettes seized in Malappuram.
Nilambur: Fake cigarettes were seized from various shops in Nilambur during a raid conducted by the police the other day. A team led by Nilambur Circle Inspector Sunil Pullikal conducted raids in Nilambur town and Chandakunnu and seized fake cigarettes from 4 shops. Mathrubhumi had published a report the other day on the sale of fake cigarettes which are increasing alarmingly in Kerala and the huge revenue loss to the state. Sale of fake cigarettes without paying the tax incurs huge revenue loss to the state government. At the same time, use of these cigarettes will lead to serious health issues too
These fake cigarettes reach Kerala through ship from Malaysia and Sri Lanka. M,Tirur is the main point from where these cigarettes are distributed to different parts of the state.
The police seized fake cigarettes worth Rs 25,000 from shops in Nilambur Kodathipadi, Veetikuttu Road and from Chandakunnu. As many as 3000 cigarettes belonging to 15 brands were seized. The statutory warning that is inscribed on the covers of all cigarette brands are missing. The seized cigarettes also include beedi-like rolled cigarettes.
UK’s largest illegal tobacco factory was in Crook, County Durham
THE masterminds behind a £10million fraud have been jailed after they were caught running the UK’s largest illegal tobacco factory – which could produce 140 packs of cigarettes a minute – in a County Durham town.
John Watson Snr, 47, who was a director of Doncaster Greyhound stadium, Terence Jacques, 60, and security guard Russell Haywood, 48, led a 12-man gang that made millions of counterfeit cigarettes which were distributed across the North of England.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) carried out coordinated raids at properties linked to the gang in County Durham and South Yorkshire in November 2015.
Officers discovered the largest tobacco factory ever encountered by HMRC inside a farm unit in Crook. The factory had more than 24 tonnes of tobacco inside, along with 500,000 cigarettes, old imperial tobacco machinery and products used to make the cigarettes. Officers also discovered caravans that were being used by the factory workforce.
Two nabbed for liquor smuggling.
Ludhiana: The Koom Kalan police have booked Deepak Narula of Bahini Doaba village for liquor smuggling under sections 61/1/14 Excise Act. The police said on a tip-off, a police party raided his residence and recovered 10 cases of whisky hidden in the household items. Deepak, however, escaped. In another case, the police arrested a woman and Deepak, both residents of EWS Colony on Tajpur Road, for liquor smuggling. The duo, along with their woman accomplice, has been booked under sections 61/1/14 of the Excise Act. They were selling countrymade liquor on Tajpur Road on Sunday when a police party caught them in the act and recovered four cases of liquor from them.
https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/two-nabbed-for-liquor-smuggling-46844
Lear More
Hyderabad: 4 arrested for smuggling gold worth Rs 1.38 crore.
Four persons were arrested by Directorate of Revenue Intelligence officials in Hyderabad Tuesday for smuggling gold worth Rs 1.38 crore. Foreign-make gold weighing 3099 grams in 31 pieces was seized.
After receiving specific intelligence that four persons were traveling to Hyderabad by road along the Bengaluru-Hyderabad highway, the DRI-Hyderabad unit mounted surveillance at Raikal toll plaza on the outskirts of the city to nab them.
According to an official press statement, the officials intercepted one person traveling by a private bus at the toll plaza and subsequently, three more persons who were traveling by a private cab were caught.
“They were found to be carrying a total of 31 pieces of foreign-origin gold bars of 999 purity, totally weighing 3099 grams and valued at Rs 1.38crore. The smuggled gold of foreign-origin was being carried without any documents, and the four persons failed to prove licit import of the gold bars,” the statement said.
The four persons admitted that they were smuggling gold and they were indulged in the activity in exchange for financial consideration, the statement read. The four were arrested under the provisions of Customs Act, 1962 and further investigation is on.
https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/hyderabad/gold-smuggling-hyderabad-arrest-6286425/
Over 12 million illegal cigarettes and thousands of litres of alcohol taken off the streets
More than 12 million illegal cigarettes, thousands of litres of alcohol and 2,000 kilos of tobacco have been taken off the streets.
The incredible amount of illegal products has all been seized from across Yorkshire within nine months.
Officers from HMRC’s Mobile Enforcement Team (MET) seized 12.2 million cigarettes and 2,032 kilos of hand-rolling tobacco.
It was all worth more than £5.2 million, from shops, storage units, lorry trailers and homes across the county between April and December in 2019.
The team also seized more than 7,000 litres of illicit alcohol and 52 vehicles illegally running on red diesel, and took action against several registered oil dealers.
https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/local-news/over-12-million-illegal-cigarettes-17793124
Lear More
C-TOC seizes over $7 million worth of counterfeit goods MoBay
Members of the Counter-Terrorism and Organised Crime (CTOC) arm of the police force, acting on intelligence, carried out a raid at a store in Montego Bay, St James on Thursday, during which they seized counterfeit goods valued at over $7 million.
The raid, which was carried out at a store operated by Chinese nationals on Barnett Street, netted shoes, bags and other items.
Speaking with reporters, Assistant Superintendent Victor Barrett revealed that charges are coming for the store operators.
“Our intelligence is suggesting that there might be other locations, so we are continuing our investigation,” said Barrett. He warned shoppers that the purchasing of counterfeit items is facilitating a breach of the copyright law.
“I would encourage the public that they should be careful when shopping for items. They should look out for the three ‘Ps’: the place in which you are buying, the price, and the product. Look at the packaging,” he warned.
https://www.loopjamaica.com/content/c-toc-seizes-over-7-million-worth-counterfeit-goods-mobay
Lear MoreAlmost 90,000 illegal cigarettes seized from van on Freeman Street.
Around 90,000 illegal cigarettes have been seized from a van following a raid on Freeman Street.
North East Lincolnshire Council Trading Standards and Humberside Police raided a business on the East Marsh street after receiving information that there had been suspicious activity with cigarettes being passed from one vehicle to the other.
Officers found one of the vehicles that they had been alerted to and searched it, finding 89,860 cigarettes and 1Kg of rolling tobacco. All of the tobacco and 79,900 of the cigarettes are thought to be fake.
The cigarettes had an estimated street value of £20,000, and would have been worth £47,500, if sold legitimately. Councillor Ron Shepherd, portfolio holder for safer and stronger communities, said: “Credit to the officers who seized these illicit tobacco products and to Humberside Police for their continued support.
“This is the latest in a series of operations carried out by our Trading Standards officers to uncover this illicit trade. “This seizure means that since July 2019 we have seized 159,360 cigarettes and 149 pouches of tobacco.
https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/news/grimsby-news/almost-90000-illegal-cigarettes-seized-3868048
Lear MoreST bus found carrying 30 booze bottles.
Abag containing Indian made foreign liquor (IMFL) was seized from a Volvo bus of GSRTC in Kodinar and the driver of the bus arrested. The bus was on the route from Diu to Mundra.
As per Anirudhsinh Jadeja, GSRTC Rajkot depo manager, “Rajkot divison’s GSRTC Volvo bus operates on the route from the Union Territory of Diu to Mundra in Kutch. Today the bus started at its usual timing at 4 pm. The bus reached Kodinar on its regular route.
However, at Kodinar it was found that there was a consignment of illegal alcohol bottles in the trunk of the bus.
VV Parmar, DSO at Kodinar police station said “The depo manager of Kodinar bus station, Purvi Dangar, came to know that there was a parcel of alcohol bottles in the bus. She immediately stopped the bus and called the police, which reached the spot at 8.20 pm. The Kodinar police found 30 bottles of alcohol from the bus, which included 15 bottles of whiskey and 15 bottles of Smirnoff Vodka. The driver of the bus, Chetan Ranchhodbhai Rathod (30), was arrested.”
