A woman’s suspicious behaviour upon arrival at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport led to a dramatic gold-smuggling bust, leaving customs officials astounded by the audacity and complexity of the operation. The incident took place at Terminal 3, where officers from the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) were carrying out routine checks of passengers arriving from international flights. Among the arrivals was a 44-year-old woman whose unusual gait immediately attracted the attention of the officers.
Twitter Space with Mr. P C Jha, Advisor, FICCI CASCADE & Former Chairman, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs
18th December, 2024
FICCI CASCADE organized a thought-provoking Twitter Space programme, featuring Mr. P C Jha, Advisor, FICCI CASCADE & Former Chairman, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, on 18th December 2024. The session, titled “Combating Illicit Trade through Effective Enforcement” served as a dynamic forum to discuss the critical role of enforcement agencies in addressing the challenges posed by illicit trade. Mr. Jha highlighted how effective enforcement and strong deterrence mechanisms are pivotal in curbing the spread of illegal trade activities, which undermine legitimate businesses and the economy. The discussion emphasized the need for capacity building among enforcement officers, the adoption of advanced detection technologies, and the formulation of stricter punitive measures to deter offenders.
The session also explored the importance of public awareness in combating illicit trade effectively. Mr. Jha emphasized the need to educate consumers about the wide-ranging consequences of purchasing counterfeit and illegal goods, including revenue losses for governments and potential risks to consumer health and safety. Additionally, he explored the connection between taxation rates and the prevalence of illicit trade, pointing out that excessively high taxes on certain products could incentivize smuggling and illegal trade. He recommended a balanced approach to taxation, coupled with strong enforcement and widespread public awareness campaigns, as a crucial strategy to comprehensively address this complex issue.
Furthermore, the session emphasized the need for cross-border collaboration and intelligence sharing among nations. Illicit trade is a global issue that transcends national boundaries, requiring coordinated efforts to disrupt supply chains and dismantle organized criminal networks. By adopting harmonized policies and leveraging global partnerships, countries can create a unified front against these illegal activities. The discussions underscored the importance of fostering innovation in enforcement mechanisms, such as utilizing blockchain technology and digital authentication tools, to enhance traceability and accountability across supply chains.
In conclusion, the session fostered a dynamic exchange of ideas among participants, paving the way for collaborative strategies to combat illicit trade and safeguard the economy.
The virtual program garnered enthusiastic participation from 5,000 attendees worldwide.
Assam Rifles Seizes Contraband Cigarettes Worth Rs 1 Crore in Mizoram
Assam Rifles, in a joint operation with the Customs Preventive Force, Champhai, seized a massive quantity of foreign-origin cigarettes, worth more than Rs. 1 crore, in the Chhungte area of Champhai district, Mizoram.
The joint team reportedly acted on precise intelligence and seized 77 cases of smuggled cigarettes. The sheer value of the confiscated items points out the size of the smuggling networks operating along the northeastern borders of India.
Delhi: 44-year-old woman arrested at Delhi Airport for smuggling gold worth Rs 50 lakh
New Delhi [India], December 17 (ANI): A 44-year-old woman was arrested at Indira Gandhi International Airport for allegedly smuggling gold worth Rs 50 lakh from Dubai to Delhi by concealing it in her rectum, Delhi Customs officials said.
According to Delhi Customs, based on profiling, the officers of Airport Customs, IGI Airport, Terminal-3, New Delhi have booked a case of smuggling of gold on December 15 against one Indian female passenger who arrived at T-3 of IGI Airport by Air India from Kathmandu in Nepal.
Govt destroys RM 2.2mil worth of fake goods in Johor
KULAI: The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry has disposed of confiscated goods valued at RM2.16mil so far this year.Its Johor director Lilis Saslinda Pornomo said the items were seized for offences under the Trade Descriptions Act 2011, Trademarks Act 2019, Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011, Control of Supplies Act 1964, and Consumer Protection Act 1999.
“From January until today (Tuesday, Dec 17), we have disposed of RM2,155,355 worth of confiscated goods involving 152 completed investigations.“The items are fake branded goods including clothing, phone accessories, watches, handbags, food products, footwear, helmets and raincoats.
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/12/17/govt-destroys-rm21mil-worth-of-fake-goods-in-johor
Air India Cabin Crew Member Caught at Chennai Airport Smuggling 1.7 Kg Gold
A cabin crew member of Air India has been arrested for helping a passenger smuggle 1.7 kg 24-carat gold at the Chennai airport, authorities said today. The cabin crew member and the passenger were intercepted by the officials when they arrived at Chennai on an Air India Flight from Dubai on Sunday. The passenger admitted to handing over the gold to the cabin crew member inside the flight, the customs department said in a statement.
Two booked for selling fake watches
The accused have been identified as Kashinath alias Bapu Prabhakar Chavan, 26, employed as worker at the watch shop and Vinod Jain, 58, who runs the shop in Main Bazar.
The Pimpri-Chinchwad police on Sunday booked two men for allegedly selling counterfeit watches of popular brands in the local market. Authorities seized 400 fake watches from the duo who were nabbed from Diamond Watch Centre in Dehu Road area.The accused have been identified as Kashinath alias Bapu Prabhakar Chavan, 26, employed as worker at the watch shop and Vinod Jain, 58, who runs the shop in Main Bazar. The duo stayed at Dehu Road area.
Illegal trade: ₹66 lakh worth imported cigarettes seized in Delhi, 4 arrested
With the arrest of four persons and seizure of 6.50 lakh cigarette sticks worth ₹66 lakh, Delhi Police has busted a syndicate engaged in the illegal trade of foreign brand cigarettes, a senior police officer said on Sunday.
The four accused have been identified as Anas, Saqib, Sameer Ur Rehman and Sagar Haswani and booked under the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, Deputy Commissioner of Police Sanjay Kumar Sain said.
Rs 56.9 lakh counterfeit notes found, 6 arrested as fake currency racket busted
In a major breakthrough, Telangana Police busted a fake currency racket in Kamareddy district on Friday, December 13. The Banswada Town Police intercepted a car during a vehicle check near Koyyagutta, seizing Rs 30 lakh in counterfeit currency and arrested three suspects, Kadapathri Rajagopal, Kolavar Kiran Kumar, and Ramesh Goud.
HC questions lack of local testing infra for mustard oil adulteration
Chandigarh: As cases of food adulteration rise, especially in edible oils, it is surprising that the region, including Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh, has no facility to check different parameters of adulteration in mustard oil. The nearest laboratory to check such parameters is in Nagpur, nearly 1,500 km from Chandigarh. Taking note of this, the Punjab and Haryana high court has now asked the central govt to inform about its present policy and whether there is a proposal for opening other laboratories across the country and if not , why .