Smuggling

2023 - 3 - 6

Post cover
Image courtesy of "Anadolu Agency"

Weapons smuggling in Sweden out of control: Expert (Anadolu Agency)

Sweden has one of the highest rates of firearm-related violence in Western Europe, a result of an ever-increasing number of gangs and criminal networks ...

[Anadolu Agency website contains only a portion of the news stories offered to subscribers in the AA News Broadcasting System (HAS), and in summarized form. Apart from firearms smuggled in from other parts of Europe, the domestic illegal gun market is also to blame, as criminals have discovered that they can buy parts needed to repair and maintain often dysfunctional old weapons in the local stores, “without any control at all,” Stahle stressed. “There are some very serious conflicts between these gangs and criminal networks,” and as long as there is such a huge demand, there will be “a huge influx of weapons into the Swedish society,” he added. Sweden may not be the only Scandinavian country where criminals may have access to weapons that are meant for Ukraine, as last October, the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation said weapons sent to Ukraine may have found their way back to criminals in Finland. Weapons smuggling expert at the Swedish Customs Service Jesper Liedholm expressed fears that criminals may have access to more powerful weapons to smuggle in Sweden and that any type of weapon provided to Ukraine as Western aid may also come back to the country, it added. Sweden has one of the highest rates of firearm-related violence in Western Europe, a result of an ever-increasing number of gangs and criminal networks responsible for the high inflow of illegal firearms to Sweden, according to experts.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "Times of India"

Gold smuggling racket: DRI nabs mastermind (Times of India)

Ahmedabad: A team of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) nabbed a person, termed the alleged mastermind of the gold smuggling racket at SVP Inte.

The yet unnamed person is believed to be involved in smuggling about 100kg gold, said sources close to the development. The person has prima facie confessed to the smuggling incidents and said that the bullion was passed on to black market," said an official associated with the probe. Sources said that DRI had busted a syndicate in July last year where the gold was systematically smuggled from Gulf countries.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "Hindustan Times"

Hair, snake venom among quirky items smuggled in via land routes (Hindustan Times)

On the eastern front, there are increasing cases of gangs smuggling human hair, snake venom and even Phensedyl cough syrup.

Snake venom is used in China for medicinal purposes, especially in chemotherapy,” the second officer said. “The ingredients such as caffeine in cough syrups used in high doses can cause irreversible damage to a person’s neurological system and kidneys. On January 6, the Border Security Force at Kakargora outpost in Meghalaya seized 300kg of human hair being smuggled to Bangladesh. On the western frontier, where India shares 553km of fenced border with Pakistan at Punjab, it isn’t cattle, Phensedyl, or animal trade. Phensedyl, which is available for less than ₹150 a bottle in India, is sold for nearly ₹1,200 in the neighbouring country. “Smugglers take advantage of the riverine and porous border with Bangladesh to smuggle cattle,” another BSF officer said, declining to be named. The hair is washed in local factories, polished and smuggled to Bangladesh,” an officer from the force’s north Bengal frontier said on condition of anonymity. Since people in Bangladesh need a medical certificate to drink alcohol, the smuggled syrup is used as a substitute. Phensedyl is one of the most sought-after intoxicants in Bangladesh. Yaba tablets, also known as a happy drug, is a combination of methamphetamine and caffeine and is used as an intoxicant. On the eastern front, there are increasing cases of gangs smuggling human hair, snake venom and even Phensedyl cough syrup. While smuggling of hair through the 4,097.7km border with Bangladesh is a recent trend, it has always seen cattle smuggling.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "Daily Express"

People smuggling chief who 'laughs off' tougher laws says 'life is ... (Daily Express)

People smugglers are enjoying 'the high life' in Britain, as one man at the heart of the 'business' claimed that three-quarters of his fellow criminals ...

It will decrease but not to the extent that refugees won't come to Britain. Mr Sunak has made "stopping the boats" one of his top priorities in office. They live there, life is easier. Speaking to [Sky News](https://news.sky.com/story/channel-crossings-people-smugglers-are-settling-in-britain-renting-houses-and-investing-profits-in-uk-businesses-12804712), a Kurdish man, referred to as Garmiyani, said most of those who run the smuggling 'business' invest the profits they make from their criminal enterprise into Britain as well. [France](/express.co.uk/latest/france). People smugglers are enjoying "the high life" in Britain, as one man at the heart of the 'business' claimed that three-quarters of his fellow criminals settle in the UK.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "The Tribune"

Punjab resident held for illicit liquor smuggling (The Tribune)

A special task force (STF) of the Bahadurgarh police nabbed a Punjab resident, carrying a reward of Rs 5000 on information leading to his arrest, ...

“A total of 1,170 boxes of illicit liquor being transported in the truck to Bihar from Rajpura (Punjab) were seized by the police when it reached the Rohtak bypass in Panipat on December 22, 2019. He was part of a racket involved in supplying illicit liquor to Bihar from Punjab,” said inspector Vivek Malik, in charge, STF Bahadurgarh. “We received a tip-off about his current location in the Zirakpur area.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "Times of India"

Two shot at for opposing smuggling of liquor in Bihar's Bhojpur (Times of India)

A 22-year-old man and his cousin were shot at near the Kali temple at Nurpur village under Ajimabad police station area in Bhojpur district on Saturda.

Their family members alleged that Rahul and Kundan were shot at for opposing illicit liquor trade near the village temple. That enraged the liquor traders and 5 persons came and shot at them." ARA: A 22-year-old man and his cousin were shot at near the Kali temple at Nurpur village under Ajimabad police station area in Bhojpur district on Saturday.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "Newsbook"

Man imprisoned after pleading guilty to migrant smuggling - Newsbook (Newsbook)

An Uzbeki man was sentenced to 3 years and six months of prison, after pleading guilty to human smuggling. The 44-year-old was charged with the crime of ...

He was also charged with being an accomplice and associating himself with other persons to commit the crime. The 44-year-old was charged with the crime of human smuggling, having assisted or encouraged more than three persons to enter the country. An Uzbeki man was sentenced to 3 years and six months of prison, after pleading guilty to human smuggling.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "Sky News"

Channel crossings: People smugglers are 'settling in Britain, renting ... (Sky News)

In an exclusive interview, a small boat smuggler tells Sky News that "three-quarters" of his fellow criminals find "life easier" in the UK, and are based ...

"They are mafias, not smugglers, and do it only for the money. "They know the weather is not good but they still play with people's lives. But he insisted that he only allowed boats to leave when the winds were light. The man, who we refer to as Garmiyani, said: "Three-quarters of the smugglers are in Britain. "Regardless of their nationalities, three-quarters of the smugglers live in the UK. Blamed, too, for the dozens of people who have died in accidents. If the numbers of people are low then the prices drop. "Smugglers hide and wait until the police have gone and then they do their job [launching the boats], which takes around half an hour." He smiled when I asked him whether he would be happy to put a family member on board one of these dinghies. Setting up the interview took a long time and required intermediaries, trust and persuasion. In the past, it was just [migrants hiding on] trucks. The man, who is Kurdish, spoke to Sky News in conditions of complete secrecy.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "Ahmedabad Mirror"

A'bad airport gold smuggling kingpin held (Ahmedabad Mirror)

The Directorate of ...

However, the mastermind of the syndicate was on the run and investigation led to the revelation that he was in Dubai, in the UAE. The duty that was evaded was Rs 1.79 crore for the entire illegal consignment. On July 9, 2022, DRI intercepted two passengers and found 33 gold bars weighing 3.85 kg with a market value of Rs 2.02 crore.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "Daily Mail"

How cross-Channel people smugglers are choosing to settle in UK ... (Daily Mail)

An insider has claimed that 'three-quarters' of Channel smugglers reside in Britain as they find 'life easier' here, where they are renting homes under ...

'If the numbers of people are low then the prices drop. Garmiyani said: 'In the past, it was just [migrants hiding on] trucks. 'If there are too many migrants, prices go up,' he said. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. He said law enforcement on the other side of the Channel was trying to crackdown on smuggling and that it was succeeding to a degree as people are being arrested and moving people is 'becoming more difficult'. Migrants are seen crossing the Channel from France to England in a small boat with a P&O ferry in the background

Post cover
Image courtesy of "The Express Tribune"

Customs team foils betel nut smuggling bid in Karachi (The Express Tribune)

The anti-smuggling team of Directorate Customs Intelligence and Investigation Karachi on Monday foiled an attempt to smuggle betel nuts after it intercepted ...

The said truck was taken into custody by the customs team after the driver failed to give a satisfactory answer and a detailed examination was conducted at the Customs Intelligence Headquarters. He furthered that the team secretly monitored the movement of all such vehicles coming towards Karachi city as a result of which an attempt was made to stop a suspicious truck in the city’s Nazimabad area. The anti-smuggling team of Directorate Customs Intelligence and Investigation Karachi on Monday foiled an attempt to smuggle betel nuts after it intercepted a truck bound for Karachi from the Northern Bypass route.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "Sky News Australia"

'Smuggling so many ideologies': Warning over China's influence on ... (Sky News Australia)

Families have spoken out about concerns their children are being indoctrinated by Chinese textbooks at community language schools in Australia.

Post cover
Image courtesy of "Daily Maverick"

Smuggling rings and other security breaches plague Durban ... (Daily Maverick)

Global drug cartels and vandals are targeting Durban harbour. The installation of a 'high-tech' fence is among the plans to keep the baddies out.

Meanwhile, several individuals have been arrested for trying to smuggle smaller quantities of cocaine between South Africa and Brazil. The inspection revealed zinc metal products and several black bags containing 378 bricks of pure cocaine,” the statement said. There is a long-term plan to expand it, and another to improve physical security at the hub that clearly attracts traffickers. The installation, expected to be completed by March 2024, was meant to curb crimes including theft and vandalism. DM168 has reported extensively on how global drug trafficking gangs have for years operated, and are still operating, via Durban harbour. [ two-decades-old cocaine-smuggling channel](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-02-14-blood-ties-south-africa-caught-in-a-web-of-murderous-drug-smuggling-brazilian-gangs/) exists between the Port of Durban and Brazil’s Port of Santos. In one of the recent cases, Brazil’s Federal Police announced last month that a South African man, with an airline ticket to his home country, was arrested in that country in connection with four kilograms of cocaine. “This is crucial to the safety of the port in limiting the risk of theft, vandalism, terrorism, stowaways and most importantly unauthorised entry to the port.” The raid was carried out after a week-long intelligence operation that involved SARS and police officers monitoring the vessel that, according to a SARS statement, was “heading from South America”. [ stern warning to all drug traffickers utilising our harbours](https://www.saps.gov.za/newsroom/selnewsdetails.php?nid=44922) that South Africa continues to intensify its efforts to dismantle and disrupt the global drug trafficking trade,” Mosikili said. [ Clash of the Cartels: Unmasking the Global Drug Kingpins Stalking South Africa](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/clash-of-the-cartels/) also details how drug traffickers from various countries, including Brazil, Italy and Serbia, sometimes working together, use Durban harbour as a node for cocaine smuggling. [billion rands worth of cocaine](https://www.news24.com/fin24/economy/see-r13bn-worth-of-cocaine-seized-at-durban-harbour-in-dawn-raid-20230224) discovered on a ship at Durban harbour has again highlighted the scale of illicit dealings via the port that trespassers and international drug traffickers target – all the while housing a national key point.

3 men admit to fatal smuggling event in South Texas following HSI ... (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Newsroom)

McALLEN, Texas — Two Mexican citizens and a U.S. citizen admitted to their roles in a noncitizen smuggling conspiracy that resulted in death after a ...

HSI’s international presence represents DHS’s largest investigative law enforcement presence abroad and one of the largest international footprints in U.S. HSI’s workforce of more than 8,700 employees consists of more than 6,000 special agents assigned to 237 cities throughout the United States, and 93 overseas locations in 56 countries. However, evidence in the vehicle led them to him. HSI is the principal investigative arm of the U.S. There, Quintanilla-Alcocer and Garcia arrived in a Chevrolet Impala and Chevrolet Malibu, respectively. The noncitizens and Cibriano-Gonzalez entered the vehicles and left the scene.

Explore the last week