Golden Triangle: Challenges to India’s National Security
Sun Tzu’s famous words “The nature of war is constant change” looks like a premonition of today’s world, engulfed in multiple types of war. Indian security forces with their primary mission of ensuring national security from external aggression are also engaged in preventing various non-conventional threats emerging from poor governance, economic backwardness, terrorism, drug trafficking, gun running, ethnic conflicts, large-scale migration, and environmental degradation that infringe national security.
One such threat to our internal security is the menace of drug trafficking. The growing instances of drug trafficking in India were highlighted in the 2018 annual report by the United Nations-backed International Narcotics Control Board (INCB). According to the report, India is one of the major hubs for illicit drug trade. Though drug abuse prevails across India, regions in the northwest and northeast have rampant linkages with the global narcotics industry. India’s strategic location places it amid two largest sources of illicit drugs in South Asia- Golden Crescent (Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran) on the northwest and the infamous Golden Triangle (Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos) on the northeast. This article will focus on the key challenges to India’s security concerns with respect to the Golden Triangle.
Golden Triangle
The notorious Golden Triangle represents the region coinciding with the rural mountains of Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand. It is Southeast Asia’s main opium-producing region and one of the oldest narcotics supply routes to Europe and North America. With a 1643km long border with Myanmar, India has been at risk for the longest time, even before the emergence of Golden Crescent.
States of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram, and Nagaland share their border with Myanmar. Drugs including opium, heroin, methamphetamine and many more are smuggled from Myanmar into the northeast. Also, drugs illicitly cultivated in India travel through the same route for trade. Drugs produced in the ‘Golden Triangle’ enter India through Mizoram, Manipur, and Nagaland from Bhamo, Lashio, and Mandalay in Myanmar. The route bifurcates and one channel moves northwards through Moreh in Manipur while other moves southwards to enter Champai in Mizoram. Moreh (Manipur), Champai (Mizoram), Dimapur (Nagaland), and Guwahati (Assam) have become the nucleus of drug trafficking industry in India’s northeast.
https://indianarmy.nic.in/writereaddata/CLAWS/Golden%20Triangle.htm
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$200,000 in counterfeit products seized at Port of Shreveport.
SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – Hundreds of counterfeit items have been seized at the Port of Caddo-Bossier. Over the last five months, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers have seized more than $200,000 in counterfeit and potentially dangerous products. The most recent seizure was a shipment of 120 fake Yeti tumblers, 210 counterfeit Kylie Jenner and Urban Decay makeup sets, and more than 2,200 counterfeit Otter Box and Apple phone cases. More than 320 fake Apple chargers and ear pods were also confiscated. “Counterfeit electronics, you could have poor quality power cords, the lights they could cause fires, shock hazards. Counterfeit makeup could do damage to one’s skin. A lot of times products, could have high levels of lead in them without individuals realizing it.” Jim Norris, the Port Director for the Shreveport U.S. Customs and Border Protection office adds that these fake products also hurt legitimate American businesses.
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BOC, Navy intercept P25M worth of smuggled cigarettes in Zamboanga.
Customs and Navy agents seize 740 boxes of cigarettes – likely smuggled from Malaysia – in Zamboanga City last June 20, 2019. The contraband was loaded onto “MJ Farnaliza” and valued at P25 million. Photo courtesy of Bureau of Customs MANILA, Philippines — Bureau of Customs (BOC) and Philippine Navy operatives have intercepted a boat that was carrying smuggled tobacco products worth P25 million in Zamboanga City. The contraband loaded onto the boat named “MJ Farnaliza” likely came from Malaysia, according to authorities. BOC and Navy members seized the smuggled cigarettes last June 20. Authorities believe MJ Farnaliza came from Jolo province. Three crew members of the boat were also arrested during the operation, a source from BOC’s Intelligence and Investigation Service told INQUIRER.net on Monday. The source added that the crewmen, who claimed they were only hired to transport the 740 boxes of cigarettes to Zamboanga are currently placed under BOC’s custody as they undergo further investigation.
Lear MoreCapacity Building Programme for Police Officers on Prevention of Counterfeiting, Smuggling and Piracy, Chennai
21/06/2019| Tamil Nadu Police Academy, Chennai
Over a period of time, trade in counterfeiting and smuggling has developed into a substantial threat to the economy globally. This challenge of the time needs to be addressed at a priority with effective enforcement of laws as a key to curb the menace. With a view to highlight the importance of this global threat, FICCI’s Committee Against Smuggling and Counterfeiting Activities Destroying the Economy (CASCADE) organised a Capacity Building Programme on June 21, 2019 at the Tamil Nadu Police Academy, Chennai. Mr. Amaresh Pujari, IPS, Additional Director General of Police, Tamil Nadu & Director, Tamil Nadu Police Academy in his address said that, ‘’Awareness is the first step towards enforcement as the problem of trade in illicit products emanates from the lack of awareness. We appreciate this initiative of FICCI CASCADE in sensitizing the enforcement officers and we hope that this will cascade down to field officers to facilitate the enforcement of laws to counter sucheconomic offences”.
Distinguished experts such as Mr. Karthikeyan. N, Advocate, Madras High Court, Mr. Timothy K. Browning, Attorney-Advisor, US Patents and Trademarks Office, Washington, Mr. Rajesh Ramanathan, Partner, Factum Law, Mr. Madhuresh Singh, Head-Legal, Puma, Ms. Shakthi Priya, Legal Consultant, Hindustan Unilever Ltd., Mr. Santhanarajan Ganapathy, Director, Consumers Association of India and Ms. S Arumugasamy, ADSP (Training), Tamil Nadu Police Academy also shared their thoughts on illicit trade. The workshop was extremely helpful in sensitizing the police officers about the relevant laws and procedures to be followed while dealing with the cases related to smuggling and counterfeiting. Over 80 officers of Tamil Nadu joined FICCI CASCADE in its fight against counterfeiting and smuggling.
DRI arrests 4 men with forex worth Rs 1.27 crore at Delhi airport
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has arrested four men departing for Bangkok at the Delhi international airport for allegedly trying to smuggled out of forex worth Rs 1.27 crore, officials. The accused were arrested when they were to depart for Bangkok on, they said. A detailed search of the passengers and their baggage resulted in recovery of euros 1,52,000, equivalent to Rs 1.27 crore, the officials said. All the passengers were arrested and the forex was seized, they added.
http://www.dri.nic.in/writereaddata/8445517_2019-06-27.pdf
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Customs officials seize stash of fake iPhone components in Hong Kong.
$120,000 of knockoff parts for iPhones and other handsets have been seized by customs officials in Hong Kong. The parts were being used to repair handsets sent in from countries including the United States, U.K. and Australia. The director and manager of the company were arrested during a raid on the company’s offices in the city of Tuen Mun. The offices were being used as a workshop and warehouse. One hundred phones sent in for repairs were found onsite. “Inside the 5,000 sq ft unit, about 3,900 counterfeit phones and parts bearing the brands of Apple iPhone and Samsung were also confiscated, along with some machinery. The parts included phone screens and enclosures. The company hired three workers to carry out the repairs, but the local men were not arrested in the operation.” Investigating officials say that the repair work included replacing cracked screens and damaged enclosures. They are still investigating the source of the fake goods. In Hong Kong, the maximum punishment for selling counterfeit goods is five years in prison and a fine of $60,000.
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Counterfeit and smuggled consumer goods worth $3.5 million seized across Americas and Caribbean.
An Interpol-backed crackdown on counterfeit and smuggled consumer goods across the Americas and Caribbean has resulted in the seizure of hundreds of thousands of potentially dangerous items. Operation Maya III saw law enforcement agencies in Belize, Costa Rica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico and Panama carry out a series of raids and inspections on markets, shops and at borders. In total, investigators participating in the effort, which took place back in April, confiscated some 746,000 items estimated to be worth around $3.5 million. The operation also resulted in the identification of 150 individuals and 65 companies suspected of being involved in the sale and distribution of smuggled and counterfeit consumer items. As part of the crackdown, law enforcement agents in Cuba seized 8,000 contraceptive pills that were destined for Venezuela, while their counterparts in the Dominican Republic impounded 1,700 units of suspected adulterated alcohol that is believed to have been smuggled into the country from Haiti.
Lear MoreCapacity Building Programme for Police Officers on Prevention of Counterfeiting, Smuggling and Piracy, Mysore
17/06/2019| Karnataka Police Academy, Mysore
‘‘Karnataka Police Academy has been committed to this cause for a long time and it is on their agenda to train the officers on such crimes. The effects of crimes such as counterfeiting and smuggling have a gestation period and only grows with time, hence severe and deterrent actions needs to be taken against such criminal activities’’, said Mr. Vipul Kumar, IPS, Director, Karnataka Police Academy chief guest at the capacity building programme organised by FICCI CASCADE on Prevention of Counterfeiting, Smuggling and Piracy at Karnataka Police Academy, Mysore on June 17, 2019. FICCI CASCADE has been sensitizing enforcement officers on the issue of counterfeiting and smuggling and equipping them to understand and take requisite actions against such crimes.
Prof. Jagadish AT, Assistant Professor, JSS Law College, Mysuru, Mr. Timothy K. Browning, Attorney- Advisor, US Patents and Trademarks Office, Washington, Mr. Prashanth S Shivadass, Advocate, Shivadass and Shivadass Law Chambers, Mr. Milind Palany, Senior Manager, Global Brand Protection, India & South Asia, Johnson and Johnson, Mr. Madhuresh Singh, Head-Legal, Puma and Ms. Divya Srikanth, Assistant Legal Manager, Hindustan Unilever Ltd. joined Mr. Kumar in deliberating their concerns on illicit trade and finding ways to mitigate the growing challenges of counterfeiting and smuggling. This capacity building programme sensitized the police officers on the importance of continued awareness and seriousness of the impact of counterfeited and smuggled goods. More than 80 officers participated in the training programme.
Capacity Building Programme for Police Officers on Prevention of Counterfeiting, Smuggling and Piracy, Vizianagaram
14/06/2019| Police Training College, Vizianagaram
Illicit trading practices such as smuggling, counterfeiting and piracy are not only causing huge losses to the government and industry, but it has significant economic and health & safety consequences for the society at large. FICCI CASCADE in order to address this issue organised a capacity building programme on Prevention of Counterfeiting, Smuggling and Piracy at Police training College, Vizianagaram on June 14, 2019. Mr. D. Rama Chandra Raju, Principal, Police Training College, Vizianagaram in his inaugural address said that ‘‘The police is a primary law enforcement agency and have a significant role to play in fighting the menace of smuggling and counterfeiting. Although counterfeiting and smuggling was looked at as a victimless crime, it had many far-reaching consequences and it is extremely important for a police officer to understand the consequences before taking actions on ground. Only then will an officer investigating a case related to smuggling and counterfeiting be able to understand and take suitable actions”. Mr. Raju commended FICCI CASCADE for taking this maiden initiative in Andhra Pradesh for training police officers on the critical area of illicit trade.
Eminent speakers from the industry and legal experts such as Dr. P. Tirumala, Associate Professor, Lendi Institute of Engineering and Technology, Mr. Timothy K. Browning, Attorney-Advisor, US Patents and Trademarks Office, Washington, Mr. C N S P Krishna Rao, Advocate, Mr. Milind Palany, Senior Manager, Global Brand Protection, India & South Asia, Johnson and Johnson, Mr. Akshay Sangwan, Manager -Brand Protection and Legal Affairs, Puma and Ms. Shakthi Priya, Legal Consultant, Hindustan Unilever Ltd. also discussed and deliberated on various aspects police officer needs to keep in mind while investigating cases of smuggling and counterfeiting. The training programme was enthusiastically attended by over 90 officers, and it observed a deliberate discussion and an interactive platform for the exchange of ideas and experiences in the enforcement of laws and practices while dealing with counterfeiters and smugglers.
Customs officials seize smuggled cigarettes worth Rs 55 lakh
Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and customs officials seized imported cigarettes to the tune of Rs 55 lakh at Surat railway. DRI and Customs officials had received information about the smuggled cigarettes that had been brought into the city in Howrah-Ahmedabad Express train. The consignment of the cigarettes was kept in the coach reserved for angadia parcels. The officials checked the entire train under the supervision of Customs superintendent Ghanshyam Soni. The cigarettes were brought to the Diamond City in boxes and were to be supplied to Asif Shaikh, official sources said.
http://www.dri.nic.in/writereaddata/4084213_2019-06-20.pdf
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