All articles tagged with #smuggling
Central banks are engaging in gold trading to combat smuggling activities, reflecting efforts to tighten financial controls and curb illegal trade. The article discusses the strategic move by authorities to use gold transactions as a tool against illicit activities.
Authorities at Changi Airport in Singapore seized a record 35.7 kg of smuggled white rhino horns hidden in furniture fittings, highlighting ongoing efforts to combat illegal wildlife trade and protect endangered species like rhinos.
China has accused two Taiwanese men of leading a smuggling operation involving a vessel that damaged undersea cables in February, amid ongoing tensions and accusations of hybrid warfare between China and Taiwan. Taiwan denies Chinese involvement, calling the incident a maritime accident, and criticizes China's public accusations and reward offers for information. The incident highlights the vulnerability of undersea cables, crucial for global communications, to sabotage and accidental damage.
Chinese authorities investigated a smuggling operation led by two Taiwanese men involving a vessel that damaged subsea cables, with political tensions escalating as China offers a bounty for suspects and Taiwan denies Chinese jurisdiction, accusing Beijing of political manipulation.
Amid Ukraine's ongoing conflict and manpower shortages, many Ukrainian men are risking their lives crossing the mountains illegally into neighboring countries like Romania to avoid military conscription, with some paying smugglers and others risking death in treacherous conditions, highlighting the human toll and desperation caused by the war.
Giant balloons carrying contraband from Belarus into Lithuania are being used in what Lithuania suspects is a hybrid attack to destabilize and exert political pressure, leading to border security measures, airport closures, and increased military patrols, amid broader tensions involving Russia and Western sanctions.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps seized an Eswatini-flagged tanker carrying 350,000 liters of allegedly smuggled fuel in the Strait of Hormuz, prompting Eswatini to deny any involvement, amid ongoing tensions over Iran's nuclear program and maritime security issues.
Indian customs seized two endangered Silvery Gibbons, one dead and one alive, hidden in a checked bag at Mumbai airport, along with nearly 8 kg of illegal weed, highlighting ongoing wildlife smuggling issues.
Lithuania has warned it will shoot down balloons used for cigarette smuggling from Belarus, closing border crossings and airports affected by these incursions, as part of its response to hybrid attacks and airspace violations, with plans to consult NATO.
Lithuania has permanently closed its border with Belarus and shut down its airspace multiple times due to balloons used by smugglers to transport contraband, disrupting over 170 flights and affecting 30,000 passengers. The balloons, suspected to be part of hybrid smuggling operations, have prompted Lithuania to consider harsher penalties and seek additional EU sanctions against Belarus, with discussions of invoking NATO's Article 4 to address security concerns amid broader European airspace security issues.
Balloons suspected of smuggling cigarettes from Belarus have caused repeated disruptions at Lithuania's main airport, leading to flight cancellations, diversions, and border closures, prompting Lithuania to consider stricter penalties and longer border shutdowns.
The U.S. Treasury has imposed sanctions on 32 individuals and entities linked to the Houthis, targeting their global illicit activities including fundraising, smuggling, and weapons procurement, to curb their threat to regional security and U.S. interests.
The US has imposed sanctions on a network of companies and vessels, led by Waleed al-Samarra’i, for smuggling Iranian oil disguised as Iraqi oil, as part of efforts to cut off revenue to Iran and counter its destabilizing activities.
John Hume, known for breeding the world's largest rhino herd, was arrested in South Africa for allegedly smuggling rhino horns worth $14 million, linked to a scheme involving nearly 1,000 horns and illegal markets in Southeast Asia. The investigation highlights ongoing wildlife trafficking issues and Hume's previous efforts to legalize horn trade to combat poaching.
A Chinese man pleaded guilty in a US court to illegally exporting around 850 protected turtles wrapped in socks and falsely labeled as toys to Hong Kong, with a market value of approximately $1.4 million, risking up to five years in prison. The turtles, native to the US and highly valued as pets in China, are protected species, and the case highlights ongoing wildlife smuggling issues.