Monthly Archives: October 2013

New tobacco tax seen fueling smuggling

Posted on October 30, 2013

From: Gloucester Times

By Andy Metzger,State House News Service/The Gloucester Daily Times

BOSTON — The $1-per-pack jump in cigarette taxes and the more than doubling of chewing tobacco taxes will provide an incentive for organized crime to draw more profits out of Massachusetts users while stiffing the state, tobacco industry executives told a state panel Monday.

“I’ve heard some criminals celebrating tax increases,” Reynolds American Inc. Director of Corporate Security Steve Grimaldi told members of the Illegal Tobacco Commission, an advisory panel set up as part of July’s tax law.

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High Cigarette Taxes Bring Little Revenue and New Crime

Posted on October 28, 2013

From: wizbang

Warner Todd Huston

Rumors are once again rumbling in the cash-starved, big spenders in California’s legislature to raise tobacco taxes. But does this work? History says that not only does the tax hike rarely bring in more money to the state the hike also causes more crime as criminals move in with black market good s at cheaper prices.

Once again the denizens of Sacramento are looking to a huge hike in taxes. Earlier this year Senator Kevin de Leon floated a scheme to raise taxes by two dollars a pack for cigarettes.

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“The reality is that it is the tobacco companies, and not the tobacco control advocates, who have over the years assisted the country to reduce smuggling”

Posted on October 25, 2013

From: SpyGhana

Framework Convention On Tobacco Control Debate

By Moses Obaloju

While the Tobacco Control debate increases in momemtum, it appears to be paying more attention to dealing  with  tobacco companies than anything else. One cannot help but ask if this is the right approach to reducing tobacco consumption and stemming the tide of possible increase. 

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Plonkers: Real life Del Boy and Rodney who even drove Trotter van replica during their years of dodgy dealing ordered to pay back £100,000 of their ill-gotten gains

Posted on October 25, 2013

From: Daily Mail

  • Conman Trevor Wales was caught selling  fake goods with son Richard
  • Were jailed in 2011 for a counterfeit  tobacco scam which lasted six years
  • Illegal business enabled them to buy  luxury properties and jet skies
  • Husband and wife only had a legitimate  income of £7,400
  • £5,000 fell out of his  wife’s underwear when police searched their house

  By Wills Robinson

A real-life Del Boy and Rodney, whose  ill-gotten gains included an exact replica of the iconic Trotter family’s Only  Fools and Horses van, have been ordered to pay back nearly £100,000 they made  dealing in counterfeit goods.

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The Danger of Counterfeit Products

Posted on October 24, 2013

Editor’s Note:  As CRE has noted, the public health dangers from counterfeit consumer products is wide-ranging. 

From: International Business Times

By

  contact lens Federal agencies have issued a warning against the use of counterfeit costume contact lenses on Halloween, citing the risk of permanent eye damage.          

Halloween may be time to sport a scary costume, but federal agencies warn of equally terrifying dangers associated with decorative contact lenses typically used on the spooky celebration.

Three federal agencies including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have issued a warning against buying contact lenses sold at Halloween shops, novelty stores, and beauty salon stores citing that many sell illegal lenses that can cause permanent eye damage.

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