Entities denounce that contraband causes loss of R $ 130 billion to Brazil

Minister of Justice, Osmar Serraglio / Photo: Fabio Pozzebom (Agência Brasil)
Minister of Justice, Osmar Serraglio / Photo: Fabio Pozzebom (Agência Brasil)

The Mixed Parliamentary Front to Combat Smuggling and Counterfeiting and the National Movement in Defense of the Brazilian Legal Market launched today (29) the campaign “The Brazil we want”, in partnership with the Ministry of Justice. The goal is to curb the practice of smuggling in Brazil.

According to the entities, in 2016, the illegal market generated losses of R $ 130 billion for the country, losses of productive sectors, such as tobacco and clothing and tax evasion. The campaign takes place in conjunction with more than 70 business entities and civil society organizations affected by illegal smuggling practices.

The increase in these practices results from a combination of factors: increased taxes, economic crisis and fragile borders. For this reason, "attacking contraband is an extremely effective measure for economic recovery and it works hard to end trafficking and crime in cities".

For the president of the Parliamentary Front to Combat Smuggling and Counterfeiting, federal deputy Efraim Filho (DEM / PB), fighting smuggling does not just mean curbing street vendors. "The fight against smuggling starts at the borders, with intelligence work, and advancing on an important tripod: human, financial and technological resources", he said. According to him, the costs of more than R $ 1 million per day in border operations are, in fact, investments, since the collection grows ten times more after that.

Condescending Culture

In addition, according to Efraim, it is necessary to combat the population's condescending culture with smuggling. “People consider it a less offensive potential crime because the view we have is of the CD and DVD seller, or of handbags and clothing brands. But when we break this superficial layer, we see something that is extremely aggressive and harmful to society, that deteriorates formal work, finances drug trafficking and creates a risk to the integrity and health of the consumer ”, said the deputy, referring, for example , to counterfeit and smuggled drugs, drinks and toys.

The Minister of Justice, Osmar Serraglio, signed a protocol of intentions with the main measures and actions for inspection and repression against smuggling.

Among the priority objectives of the term are to identify financial resources for investment in human and technological resources; provide technical and operational support to the execution of the National Border Plan, with special attention to economic and social actions and the inspection of the border between Brazil and Paraguay; foster international and legislative debate; and sensitize society about the impacts of illegality with the aim of generating changes in the consumption of illegal products.

For the coordinator of the National Movement in Defense of the Brazilian Legal Market, Edson Vismona, the signed protocol points out the paths and where are the resources for investment in technology and human resources.

“We want there to be practical actions, diagnoses we all already have. We suggest the creation of border offices uniting the agencies so that they identify in the thousands of inquiries who are the suppliers, we have to qualify the information so that we can go to the root of who is operating this illegal trade ”, he said.

According to the director of the Brazilian Association to Combat Counterfeiting, Rodolpho Ramazzini, the sector that loses the most from smuggling and counterfeiting is that of cigarettes, with losses of R $ 5 billion, followed by auto parts, with R $ 3 billion, in addition to other segments. “Brazil has 16 thousand kilometers of border with the bordering countries, in which we only have 24 checkpoints. In all of our ports, we do not have 3 agents to carry out container clearance. Anything enters Brazil. The few inspectors who work well, learn a lot, but it is very close to what should be done to have more fair competition in the market ”.

He pointed out that the economic crisis and the high taxes were the factors that contributed to the growth in consumption of this material, but stressed that the consumer loses twice when buying products from this source. “In the case of cigarettes, drinks, auto parts, fuel, medicine, hygiene and cleaning products, hospital surgical products, in addition to the financial loss for the government and industry, these products will always cause damage to health or for consumer safety because they are made with poor quality raw materials and without sanitary control. ”

Mobilizations throughout the day

Today, a task force is being carried out to destroy contraband products seized by the Federal Revenue Service, in São Paulo and Foz do Iguaçu. More than 12 tons of cigarettes are expected to be destroyed during the day.

As part of the campaign's activities, the entities also present until March 31, at the National Congress, the mini-exhibition “Cidade do Contrabando”, which simulates the possible improvements if the smuggling and the trade of illegal products were extinguished.

According to the entity, with R $ 130 billion, it would be possible to build more than a thousand hospitals, or 65 thousand daycare centers or 1,36 million popular homes, or even 25 thousand public schools.

 

* Collaborated with Flavia Albuquerque, from São Paulo 

Ftone: Agência Brasil (29/03/17)

 

Federal Revenue released inspection report

FIGHT AGAINST ILLICITES

Throughout 2014, 3.110 surveillance and repression operations against smuggling and embezzlement, activities that aim to prevent the commission of illicit acts and their fight against the practice of conduct.

This total represented an increase of 3,70% compared to 2013.
The total seizure of goods processed by the Federal Revenue, in the areas of inspection, repression, surveillance and control over foreign trade (including baggage), resulted in 2014, in the amount of R $ 1,80 billion. In Rio Grande do Sul, goods worth R $ 93,7 million were seized (cigarettes R $ 42 million, pesticides R $ 574 thousand, and beverages R $ 1,96 million, among other items).

Among the seized goods, there are counterfeit, toxic, medication and other sensitive products, including weapons and ammunition, which have great harmful potential.

To read the full story, click here

Source: Diário da Manhã Pelotas (16/02)

 

Libbs already has Unique Drug Identifier

1413296248_libbsPharmaceutical Libbs is the first company in the segment in the country to implement its medication monitoring platform with the printing of the Unique Medicines Identifier.

The Unique Medicines Identifier (IUM) will store information such as batch, validity, serial number and registration number with the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa).

By December of next year, all pharmaceutical laboratories should place at least three traceable lots on the market. As of December 2016, the entire market should have tracking mechanisms.

This ensures the authenticity and legal provenance of the medication, avoiding deviations in the production chain and allowing for faster health surveillance action.

According to the government, traceability brings benefits to the industry with more effective management of risks in the production chain, avoiding errors and losses due to maturities and preventing theft of cargo.

Until September 30, Anvisa was notified of more than 1,2 cargoes of stolen or lost medicines. That number last year reached 1.964 and, in 2012, exceeded 3 thousand.

Source: Baguete RS  13/10/2014

 

 

Click here and read the full article

Federal Highway Police intensifies work on the country's north to south borders

The Federal Highway Police (PRF), in partnership with the Federal Revenue Service and the National Health Surveillance Agency, launched, throughout the month of September, numerous actions on the Brazilian borders.

In addition to the permanent presence that already existed on the southern limits of the country, inspections at the northern and western borders of Brazil were reinforced. With these new barriers intensified, the actions of Operation Sentinel, a strategic project of the Federal Government to fight transnational crimes, gains a new security belt that has already been working.

From Amapá to Rio Grande do Sul, the number of PRF operational units, located at points close to the borders, received reinforcement from agents from other states and groups specialized in fighting crime.
Trafficking in drugs, medicines and weapons, illegal entry of foreigners, evasion of foreign exchange, contraband and embezzlement, theft and theft of vehicles, environmental crimes were some of the illicit combated during the actions. The result is impressive: approximately 13 million reais were seized in smuggled goods - among which 57236 units of medication; 500 liters of fuel; 4529 liters of drinks and 11427 electronics units. In addition, 60 wild animals were also apprehended; thousand cubic meters of wood; 161
firearms among other materials.

Source: Social Communication Office of the Federal Highway Police

Network to track medicine starts operating in Brazil

Last October 08, the pharmaceutical Libbs, presented the first platform to track medicines. The goal is that by December 2016, the National Drug Control System (SNCM), will be operating and all industries will have similar mechanisms.

"The system will guarantee not only patient safety, but also facilitate health surveillance and the control of medication production in Brazil," said Health Minister Arthur Chioro.

With the new system, drug packaging should contain a two-dimensional bar code, a kind of RG. The mechanism will allow the identification of the place and date of production, form of distribution and point of sale. The minister is convinced that the system will allow control of the entire chain, making it easier to recognize possible cases of fraud, smuggling, cargo theft.

The schedule predicts that, by December 2015, all industries will place on the market at least three batches already produced with packaging that allows tracking. As of December 2016, the entire pharmaceutical market will have to have the mechanisms to do the tracking.

The National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) commands a management committee formed by 25 public, private and third sector entities in charge of discussing the implementation of the system.

Source: O Estado de S.Paulo

Click here and read the full article

Combating Smuggling, Piracy and Counterfeiting

ETCO participates in initiatives to suppress these forms of illegal trade which endanger the health of the population and harm companies that operate within the law.

REFERENCES

  • Piracy CPI, by Luiz Antonio de Medeiros. Editora Geração, 2005.
    The story of how Congressman Luiz Antonio de Medeiros defeated smuggling and counterfeiting of products in Brazil, with the cinematic prison of smuggler Law Kin Chong is the theme of the third volume of the História Agora collection. In his book, Mr Medeiros tells about the work of the CPI and the investigations are conducted in partnership with the Federal Police, which made it possible to dismantle criminal organizations and led the public to debate the damage caused by smuggling and counterfeiting. . The CPI sought to capture the 'sharks', that is, the heads of organized crime, linked to money laundering and drug trafficking, who commanded (and, according to Medeiros, unfortunately still do) the smuggling, tax evasion and fraud machine . Medeiros says that, lifting this veil, it was discovered that organized crime does not only deal with smuggling and piracy, but also finances other activities, such as money laundering from drug trafficking and the financing of terrorist groups.
  • Piracy not here !, by Adeli Sell. Editora Kad, 2004.
    Extraordinary account of fearless public administrator, Adeli Sell who describes in simple and didactic texts, the difficult task of freeing our capital from illegal activities.
  • Illicit: The Attack on Piracy, Money Laundering and Trafficking, by Moisés Naím. Editora Jorge Zahar, 2006.
    Attack on Piracy, Money Laundering and Trafficking in the Global Economy. The global networks of illegal trade in arms, drugs, human organs, immigrants, counterfeit goods, prostitutes, stolen art, in addition to terrorism and money laundering are today a consolidated part of the international economy and turn over hundreds of billions of dollars a year. In this book, Moisés Naím, carries out a detailed and pioneering investigation on a little-known side of globalization: illicit activities. Smugglers, drug dealers and pirates have always existed, but never with such great economic power.
  • How to Avoid Piracy and Coexistence Fraud, by Antonio Loureiro Gil. Atlas Publisher, 1998.
    This book deals with practices and techniques for prevention, detection and correction / punishment in situations of aggression against intangible assets - practices and information - of organizations. It focuses on the life cycle of fraud, examples of fraud, piracy and collusion, aspects of motivation, causes, operational weaknesses and consequences. Summary - Reality of Society, Business, Risks of Private and Governmental Organizations (in terms of Operational, Commercial, Accounting and Financial Management, IT and Outsourcing), How to Avoid Involvement.
  • Piracy: untie this knot, by Julia Lopes. Editora Futura, 2006.
    Piracy: Untying this knot brings together ten essays by Mr Julio Lopes on various aspects of counterfeiting and smuggling of goods, the violation of intellectual property and the dynamics of the informal economy in our country.
  • Studies to Combat Piracy in Honor of Judge Luiz Fernando Gama Pellegrini, by Eduardo Salles Pimenta. Editora Letras Jurídicas, 2011.
    The book presents to the national legal scene the exposure of researchers about the preventive and repressive vision, about the socio-legal and economic plan of the issue. Notorious are actions that violate copyrights practiced by unauthorized use, as well as the excess in the exercise of rights practiced by representatives of authors or copyright holders.
    Piracy is provided for by Decree 5. 244/2004, which in the sole paragraph of its Article 1 defines it as violating Law 9.609 and Law 9.6. The breadth of actions to typify the act of piracy reaches the use, among other creations, of audiovisual works, software, works of plastic arts, music and texts, in analog or digital language.
    In this study are found the reflections of Doctors, Masters, Graduates and Leaders of Associative Entities, who confront the fact to the law and point out their reflexes.
    It is an excellent source of consultation for all those who, working in the legal area or in all other areas related to intellectual property, are committed to fighting piracy, placing the Author / Creator above his work and as a fundamental and of the cultural evolution of any society that aims to develop legally.
  • Illegal Culture: the Moral Borders of Piracy, by Arthur Coelho Bezerra. Editora Mauad, 2014.
    Based on research work with young consumers, pirated media traders and associations that defend copyright laws, the book discusses the circulation of cultural goods in digital networks and in clandestine street markets, in view of the condition of illegality. sharing, buying and selling unauthorized copies.

Ministry of Social Development publishes letter on counterfeit products

With the objective of alerting the population about the care with counterfeit products, the Ministry of Social Development and Fight Against Hunger issued a letter with eight important items, calling attention to several blows carried out by gangs. Sent to several companies, the material also has a direct channel for consumers and distributors to answer specific questions.

Click here and access the material

Counterfeit medicines

Senator Jorge Viana (PT / AC) presented a favorable opinion to the Chamber of Deputies Amendment to the Senate Bill (ECD) 464/11, which provides for the prohibition of establishments involved in counterfeiting of medicines and cosmetics. The opinion was presented last Friday (6/12), at the Constitution, Justice and Citizenship Commission (CCJ) of the Federal Senate.

According to the rapporteur, the proposal under analysis aims only to expand the list of products that, when falsified, generate the non-application of a period of prohibition of establishment provided for by law. Such measure goes against the public interest and actions taken to curb piracy and adulteration of products. The senator believes that the counterfeiting of personal hygiene and perfumery items continues to grow in our country, and in view of this reality it is necessary to create mechanisms to end impunity for violators.

PLS 464/11, from sen. Humberto Costa (PT / PE), changes the federal health legislation to provide that the period of up to 90 days of interdiction of establishment, as a precautionary measure, will not apply in the event of verification of falsification of medicines, drugs, pharmaceutical supplies, related, fraudulent, counterfeit or adulterated cosmetics and sanitizers of public health interest.

The text also provides that, as long as the establishment's interdiction continues, the use of the facilities in which it operated will be prohibited by another establishment that develops a similar activity, even if only partially.

The proposal awaits inclusion in the CCJ's agenda for deliberation.

Source: Agência Senado and ETCO