Counterfeit vodka finding leads to suspended sentence
Ian Baldwin of Grangeway pleaded guilty to 21 offences relating to counterfeit and illicit tobacco seized from his taxi, his personal vehicle and a storage unit last December. He was sentenced to six months and twelve weeks custody and made to pay 1000 euros in costs and 80 euros to victim’s surcharge.
A total of 26 litres of counterfeit vodka and 108 bottles of illicit wine ( not marked with traceability information) as well as illicit hand rolling tobacco and cigarettes had a street value of over 1700 euros.
2PNP generals tagged in smuggling of sugar, agri products
Three boats loaded with smuggled white sugar were intercepted in Zamboanga City and are now in the custody of the Bureau of Customs, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said.
Based on initial reports from Customs, one of the vessels, M/B SittiAini was loaded with 584 bags of refined sugar.
The two other vessels are still under inspection and authorities have yet to come up with an estimated value of the seized sugar.
Canadian police seize more than 3,300 pounds of illegal tobacco
The Cornwall Regional Task Force (CRTF) seized more than 3,300 pounds of tobacco in one week. In two separate instances, the CRTF saw suspects trying to smuggle tobacco in Canadian waters. The CRTF saw a boat Aug. 4 on the St. Lawrence River near the Ontario-Quebec Border. The CRTF said the boat seemed be coming form the Lancaster area. When the boat docked near Rivière-Beaudette, Quebec, the CRTF saw two people unloading what appeared to be garbage bags of fine-cut tobacco.
http://www.wptz.com/news/canadian-police-seize-more-than-3300-pounds-of-illegal-tobacco/41171054
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Rs 5L worth foreign cigarettes seized
Excise sleuths on Thursday seized foreign cigarettes and banned tobacco products worth around Rs 5 lakh. The seized items include slim cigarettes, primarily used by women, and chewing products containing tobacco.
The excise has registered 10 cases in connection with the raid.
The raid was conducted by various units of excise at Ernakulam north, Ernakulam south, Palarivattom and Manappattiparambu.
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Extraordinary attack on Sydney tobacco executive
It’s been revealed an Australian tobacco executive has been bashed and stabbed in attempted kidnap. It’s believed crime syndicates may have started to hit back at efforts to combat the illicit tobacco trade.
The executive was attacked at his Sydney home and told to get in a car. But he fought back.
US seizes more than 3000 counterfeit items
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement Offices have seized more than 3000 counterfeit items including footwear and clothing during the execution of four state search warrants in northern Indiana. The merchandise included shoes, purses various clothing items and other luxury accessories were found to be imitations of name-brands including Nike, Air Jordan, Michael Kors, Timberland, North Face and Polo.
No arrests were made at the time the search warrants were executed by the Indiana State Excise Police with the assistance from the South Bend Police Department’s Violent Crime Impact Unit and ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
http://www.just-style.com/news/us-seizes-more-than-3000-counterfeit-items_id128565.aspx
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Crackdown by Hong Kong customs nets illegal cigarettes worth HK$57 million.
Contraband cigarettes worth more than HK$57 million have been confiscated by Hong Kong Customs in 12 cases of tobacco smuggling from the mainland so far this year, a customs official said on Wednesday. The HK$7.3 million haul was discovered when officers intercepted a Hong Kong-bound container truck at Man Kam To Immigration Control Point. The import document claimed it carried more than 800 cartons of assorted goods such as metalware and clothes. Meanwhile, customs officers mounted a city-wide operation against illegal cigarettes over the past two weeks.
During the operation, 47 suspected tobacco traffickers and buyers, aged from 14 to 82, had been rounded up with the seizure of HK$150,000 worth of contraband cigarettes recovered.
Trader sold fake England World Cup shirts and Ray-Ban sunglasses.
Boyd Talbot, aged 32, was also ordered to pay back £16,250 within three months following a Proceeds of Crime investigation – or face nine months in jail.
In May 2014, two properties associated with Talbot, of Oldbury Street, Wednesbury, were raided by Sandwell Council Trading Standards and West Midlands Police officers after a probe found he was selling counterfeit goods through Facebook and eBay.
Beware: Buying fake products is dangerous
Genuine products have gained the name and fame among the consumers worldwide. But for these trade brands, reaching the pinnacle of popularity is not as easy as one might think, but after enormous efforts by its owners, according to Mashhoor Al Shamsi, Senior Manager of Intellectual Property Issues and Trade Agencies. When a customer buys duplicate product and when they identify it was different from the original one, they start distrusting the product and will refrain from buying it next time,’ he added.
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/nation/general/beware-buying-fake-products-is-dangerous
Lear MoreCustoms agency nails 7 cigarette smugglers
South Korea’s customs authorities said Tuesday they have arrested or indicted seven men for smuggling in cigarettes worth 6.4 billion won ($5.8 million).
Four suspects allegedly imported some 800,000 packs of Korean-made cigarettes worth 3.5 billion won from the Philippines through Busan seaport and reported them as wooden chairs after stealing them from a bonded warehouse between November 2014 and March 2016, according to the Korea Customs Service.
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2016/08/116_211451.html
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