Author: adminficci

BENGALURU: A gang of four was arrested for allegedly smuggling sandalwood from Huliyurudurga in Tumakuru district and trying to sell it in Bengaluru.
The accused are Ponnaraj alias Ponna, 35, Druvakumar alias Druva, 29, Siddappa KV, 27 and Harish KN, 34.
Police seized 330kg of sandalwood worth over Rs 6.5 lakh and mini-goods vehicle from them. The accused told police they had stolen sandalwood from Huliyurudurga and were

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10^th January 2023| Chhattisgarh 

FICCI CASCADE organised a Seminar on ‘Preventive Strategies to Combat Counterfeiting and Smuggling’ on 10th January 2023 at Hotel Courtyard by Marriott, Raipur. Shri Amarjeet Bhagat, Hon’ble Minister of Food, Civil Supply and Consumer Protection, Planning Economic and Statistics, Culture, Government of Chhattisgarh was the chief guest at the seminar. While addressing the programme, he mentioned that the rapid growth of technology has led to a drastic increase in economic crimes and cybercrimes. Shri Bhagat emphasized that illicit trade activities are the major barriers in the path of economic growth of the country. Over the years, the government has initiated several mechanisms to ensure consumer safety and checking unfair trade practices, there is an urgent need of increased consumer awareness to tackle this problem, he added

Mr. Topeshwar Verma, Secretary, Department of Food, Civil Supply and Consumer Protection, Technical Education and Employment, Government of Chhattisgarh accentuated that Illicit activities such as smuggling and counterfeiting are global problems of enormous scale, impacting all stakeholders such as consumers, industry, government and society as a whole. He urged all stakeholders to join hands to collectively fight the menace of illicit trade. Mr. Verma emphasized the need to take a bill on every purchase, as it acts as evidence of transaction.

Mr P C Jha, Advisor, FICCI CASCADE and Former Chairman, Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs stated that illicit trade have a significant adverse effect on security, environment, health, safety and economy. Illicit trade is a low risk and high reward criminal activity. There is no manufactured product, illicit of which is not available in the market. Inadequate penal provisions and delayed prosecution/ adjudication proceedings do not create desired deterrence for illegal market operators, added Mr. Jha.

Mr. Abhijit Pati, Chairman, FICCI Chhattisgarh State Council and CEO & Director BALCO (Vedanta Group) opined that in the past ten years the magnitude of illicit trade has grown from USD 650 billion to about USD 3 trillion, representing 10 per cent of the global trade and rightly been termed as the crime of the 21st century by the FBI. Mr. Pati mentioned that there is a need for concerted effort by all stakeholders to ensure that an effective and workable deterrence is created.

Mr. Deep Chand, Advisor, FICCI CASCADE and Former Special Commissioner of Police, New Delhi chaired the Panel Discussion on Policies to Prevent Counterfeiting and Smuggling. While chairing the session he stated that it is important to work together across borders and sectors in order to disrupt the networks and supply chains that support smuggling. Strong laws and effective enforcement actions are critical to ensure that individuals and organizations are held accountable and deterred from engaging in illegal or harmful activities.

Panelist, Ms. Pratima Singh, Additional Commissioner, Central GST & Central Excise, Raipur highlighted that the custom department is at the forefront to save the society from the ill-effects of smuggling. She apprised that last year officials have seized 92,000 kg narcotics, 800 kg ganja and 36 lakh smuggled cigarette sticks from across the country. During the discussion, Dr. Sanjeev Shukla, IPS, Inspector General of Police, CID, Raipur emphasized that it is essential for enforcement agencies to be proactive in combating smuggling to protect the national security, support the economy, and prevent criminal organizations from gaining a foothold in the country. There is a need to increase intelligence gathering, surveillance, risk assessments, and targeted operations.

Shri Praveen Mishra, Hon’ble Secretary, District Legal Services Authority, Raipur highlighted that the existing punishments that are handed out in compliance with the various legal laws are not as effective as they could be in preventing the threat of smuggling and counterfeiting. Therefore, there is a need to enhance stringent laws and regulations to prevent illicit trade.

Shri Arvind Agrawal, Director, VNR Seeds Pvt Ltd., Raipur stated that stakeholders, including governments, law enforcement agencies, international organizations, businesses, and civil society groups, can play a critical role in battling the menace of illicit trade by working together to share information, resources, and expertise. This will help to create a more secure and sustainable global economy that benefits everyone.

Ms. Jaya Mishra, Member, FICCI Chhattisgarh State Council and President, Shri Shankaracharya Technical Campus during her vote of thanks, mentioned that students can play an important role as brand ambassadors and torchbearer in the fight against illicit trade. Winners of the competitions organised in Bhilai on the “Role of Youth in Making India Free from Smuggling & Counterfeiting” were also awarded at the seminar. The conference was attended by more than 250 industry captions, representatives from consumer forums, government officials and other stakeholders in this segment.

9^th January 2023| Chhattisgarh

In our continued endeavour, to sensitize the youth on the need to work together to address the growing hazards posed by counterfeiting and smuggling, FICCI CASCADE organized a youth awareness programme on the theme “Role of Youth in Making India Free from Smuggling & Counterfeiting” on 9th January 2023 at Shri Shankaracharya Technical Campus, Bhilai. The programme was divided into three competitions: Painting, Elocution and Jingle Writing. The competition witnessed enthusiastic participation of over 450 students from various educational institutions of Chhattisgarh. The competition observed a great sight of young prodigious talent demonstrating their skills to curtail the threat posed by counterfeiting and smuggling. The objective of the competition was to generate awareness among the country’s youth and seek their support in strengthening our fight against illicit trade.  

The competition was judged by Mr. Deep Chand, Advisor, FICCI CASCADE and Former Special Commissioner of Police, New Delhi, Mr. P C Jha, Advisor, FICCI CASCADE and Former Chairman, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) and Ms. Mr. Jaya Mishra, Member, FICCI Chhattisgarh State Council and President, Shri Shankaracharya Technical Campus.

The list of the winners are as follows:

FICCI CASCADE believes that it is important to empower the youth of our nation to take a leading role in the fight against illicit trade by educating and training them to identify and respond to illicit trade activities. Competition winners were awarded at a Seminar on ‘Preventive Strategies to Combat Counterfeiting and Smuggling’ organised at Hotel Courtyard by Marriott, Raipur on 10th January 2023.

6 December 2022| L. N. Mishra Institute of Economic Development & Social Change, Patna

Mr Samir Kumar Mahaseth, Industry Minister, Government of Bihar was the chief guest at the seminar. While addressing the programme, he mentioned that the problem of counterfeiting and smuggling is complex in nature, with no legal regulation and very little recourse, consumers are at risk from unsafe and ineffective products. It is important that consumers understand the multi-faceted complexities of the problem. Youth are the consumers of tomorrow, who can encourage and bring about the required change through their choices and behaviours, he added. 

Shri Mahaseth emphasized that educating and generating awareness about the ill effects of counterfeiting and smuggling is the need of hour to combat this global scourge. He suggested that FICCI CASCADE should organize similar youth awareness programmes in Bihar frequently to motivate the young minds in achieving the objective of making India free from illicit trade. The Hon’ble Minister also felicitated school children for the inter-school competition organised by CASCADE.

Mr Dipak Kumar Singh, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Education, Government of Bihar also addressed the seminar. He stated that the uninhibited growth of counterfeiting and smuggling is not only impacting the economy of our country but also posing severe risk to public health and safety. Smuggling and counterfeiting leads to tax evasion which further slows down the pace of development of the country, said Mr. Singh. He emphasized on the need to take a bill while making any purchase, to act as proof/evidence of the transaction.

Mr P C Jha, Advisor, FICCI CASCADE and Former Chairman, Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs accentuated that illicit trade is of grave concern, it undermines the nation’s economy, damages brand integrity, and most importantly affects health and safety of the citizens which needs to be addressed on an urgent basis. He opined that presently lack of awareness, besides the inadequate legal framework, are shaping the dynamics of illicit trade.

Mr Rajiva Ranjan Verma, Former Director General, RPF, NCRB, Civil Defense, Home Guard & Fire Services and BPR&D and Think tank Member, FICCI CASCADE highlighted that raising awareness is an important aspect of combating illicit trade in terms of smuggling and counterfeiting which needs to be pursued vigorously. The role of youth is paramount in battling the menace of smuggling and counterfeiting, he stressed.

The seminar discussed the importance of increased awareness on the hazards of counterfeiting and smuggling, and the need for effective enforcement to enhance India’s economic development. The seminar also deliberated on FICCI CASCADE’s recent report titled Illicit Markets: A Threat to Our National Interests, which examines the impact of illicit trade in five key industries in India — Mobile Phones, FMCG-Household and Personal Goods, FMCG-Packaged Foods, Tobacco Products, and Alcoholic Beverages.

Patna, Bihar| 5th December 2022

India has a young population profile, and it is imperative to understand the power of the consumers of tomorrow. With youngsters becoming a key stakeholder for advocating socially responsible behaviour, FICCI CASCADE believes that it is important to train and educate the young minds in order to empower and strengthen our society for national development and shape the future of our country in a brighter and more prosperous manner.

In our continuous endeavour to sensitize young minds and to create awareness about the intricacies and critical issues of illicit trade practices, FICCI CASCADE organized a two-day youth awareness programme in Patna, Bihar on 5th and 6th December 2022.

A youth competition on the theme “Role of Youth in Making India Free from Smuggling & Counterfeiting” was organised at Bankipur Girls High School. The programme was divided into three competitions: Painting, Elocution and Jingle Writing. The competition witnessed enthusiastic participation of over 350+ children from 40 leading schools in Patna. The competition was meant to generate awareness among the country’s youth and seek their support in addressing the growing hazards posed by counterfeiting and smuggling to strengthen the fight against illicit trade. It saw a plethora of ideas, innovative expressions, talent and content exhibited in way of speech, art and write ups.

The elocution competition was judged by Mr. Amrendra Kumar, Dwarika High School Mandiri, Patna; Ms. Binita Kumari, B. N. Collegiate, Patna and Ms. Shabnam, Bankipur Girls High School, Patna. The painting competition was judged by Ms. Bindu Kumari, Rajkiya Kanya Ucch Vidyalaya, Gardanibagh, Patna; Ms. Renu Kumari, D D Nandan Girls High School, Danapur, Patna and Ms. Archana Kumari, Ghanshayam Girls Higher Secondary School, Patna. The jingle writing competition was judged by Ms. Shrishti Suman, Bankipur Girls High School, Golghar, Patna; Ms. Sanju Kumari, B. N. Collegiate, Patna and Mr. Ravi Kumar, Dwarika High School, Mandiri, Patna.

Winners of the competition were:

28 November 2022 | Sangoshthi Sadan, Police Line, Lucknow

India is a victim of large-scale smuggling and counterfeiting web, entangling not only our legal industry and economy, but also the consumers who are exposed to grave risks to life and security. The costs of these illicit activities are not only real but are huge. FICCI’s Committee Against Smuggling and Counterfeiting Activities Destroying the Economy (CASCADE) has been working concertedly with the enforcement officers across the nation to sensitize them and raise awareness on this very important issue. With this objective, FICCI CASCADE organized the “Capacity Building Programme for Police Officers of Uttar Pradesh on Prevention of Counterfeiting and Smuggling” on 28 November 2022 at Lucknow.

Mr. Nilabja Chaudhary, Joint Commissioner of Police, Crime and Hq, Lucknow was the chief guest at the programme. Mr. Chaudhary mentioned that the Police Department plays a significant role in ensuring the protection of legitimate businesses from illicit market operators. He highlighted that the Uttar Pradesh police actively seize products such as fake medicines, currency notes, cigarettes and liquor, which have direct repercussions on the law and order and public health and safety. The police department has seen a renewed spate of counterfeit cases in food and beverage industry in the past few months, particularly counterfeit edible oil at Farrukhabad Mandi.

Mr. Chaudhary accentuated that illicit trade, in terms of counterfeiting and smuggling, is among one of the factors that is impeding growth of the economy in multidimensional ways. He emphasized the need for a continuous dialogue with industry association like FICCI in order to make the public aware about the magnitude of the problem and promote fair trade practices to contribute greater equity in trade.  Capacity building programme in terms of skill, infrastructure and technology is essential for the law enforcement agencies in improving the detection and investigation of crimes relating to counterfeiting and smuggling. He suggested that coordinated efforts of the government, industry bodies and enforcement agencies are therefore needed to control the spread of this growing menace.

While giving an overview on socio-economic impact of counterfeiting and smuggling, Mr Deep Chand, Advisor, FICCI CASCADE and Former Special Commissioner of Police, New Delhi stated that the grey market is fueling illegitimate industry which is leading to an increased criminalization in the society. This capacity building program is aimed to sensitize the UP police officers on the importance of continued awareness and seriousness of the impact of counterfeit and smuggled products.

He further stated that as per the FICCI CASCADE’s recent report titled “Illicit Markets: A Threat to Our National Interests”, the unlawful trade in the five key industries (Mobile Phones, FMCG-Household and Personal Goods, FMCG-Packaged Foods, Tobacco Products, and Alcoholic Beverages) results in a total estimated legitimate employment loss of 15.96 lakh. The estimated tax loss to the government due to illicit goods in these industries is Rs 58,521 crore, with two highly regulated and taxed industries, tobacco products, and alcoholic beverages, accounting for nearly 49% of the overall tax loss.

Col Atul Yadav, General Manager- North, Industry Affairs, ITC Ltd. opined that illegal activities such as counterfeiting and smuggling are flooding the market with substandard fake and smuggled products which are produced without following quality norms at unhygienic places, and are sold illegally, thus contributing towards increase in unaccounted money. A major driver for the rampant increase of smuggling is high taxes which create a significant arbitrage to fuel such activities. The extent of smuggling in the country is a cause of great concern. However, to effectively tackle the growing menace of smuggling in India, a lot more needs to be done to make the compliance and processes more robust and detection of such crime easier, he added.

Mr. Gagan Rajpurohit, Legal Counsel, HUL Central Region and Mr. Devesh Pandey, Brand Protection Consultant, HUL discussed about various types of counterfeits products available in the market, how to identify them and the powers of police in search & seizure. They discussed practical challenges faced by the industry and how industry and police can work collaboratively to curb the menace of counterfeiting and smuggling.

Ms. Aashita Agarwal, Manager, Public Policy discussed Amazon’s efforts in mitigating fraud and abuse on marketplaces that hamper customer’s trust. She said that Amazon is committed to promoting and participating in the efforts for ensuring the empowerment of consumers to enjoy the benefits of online shopping while being protected from the risks the digital era may present.

 FICCI CASCADE has been over the years working closely with government, industry, enforcement officials, legal fraternity, consumer organizations and the youth to create awareness on the adverse impact of the problem of counterfeiting and smuggling.  Among other activities, FICCI CASCADE has been regularly engaging with law enforcement agencies including police, customs and paramilitary organizations engaged in border protection in sensitizing them on the gravity of the problem.