Day: September 9, 2018

9^th September 2018

NIGERIA AND BENIN LOSE OVER $3 BILLION TO CROSS-BORDER CRIMES ANNUALLY

The Nation in Nigeria on 8^th September reported that indications are that Nigeria and its neighbouring West African country, the Benin Republic, lose an estimated $3 billion annually to cross-border crimes, especially due to activities of smugglers and unscrupulous businessmen operating across both countries.  Top on the list of items being smuggled into Nigeria via Benin include but not limited to rice, frozen foods, textile materials amongst other fast-moving consumer goods.

http://thenationonlineng.net/nigeria-benin-lose-over-3b-to-cross-border-crimes-annually/

ANOTHER SMUGGLING TARGET: CALIFORNIA’S SUCCULENT SMUGGLERS: PLANT POACHERS SEED ASIA’S DESIRE FOR DUDLEYA

The South China Morning Post on 9^th September published an article saying that a craze for hardy succulents, which started in South Korea and spread to China, has resulted in organised gangs stripping California of a plant crucial to its fragile coastal ecosystem.  It says that dudleya poaching was not unheard of in the past: a tractor-trailer had been discovered in Baja California, Mexico, filled with 4,746 plants, but those were an especially rare variety, found only on one small island.  It explains that dudleya is a plant genus containing more than 45 species of succulent, native to the west coast of North America, from Oregon to Baja California, with a couple of species in Arizona, one of which also grows in Nevada and Utah.  Some are common and a great number of the species are rare.

https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/2163157/californias-succulent-smugglers-plant-poachers

UK GOVERNMENT DELEGATION IN JERSEY FOR TALKS ON BREXIT AND JERSEY JOINING WTO

On 9^th September, the Jersey Evening Post reported that delegation from the UK Department for International Trade had been on Jersey for talks that centred on Jersey’s efforts to extend the UK’s membership of the World Trade Organisation to the Island.  This, it says, would guarantee certain trading rights and protect the Island from costly trade tariffs and quotas when the UK exits the EU.  However, in order for WTO membership to be extended to the Island, Jersey would need to comply with the terms of the UK’s agreement.  The director of external relations is quoted as saying that Guernsey was also involved in the discussions, while representatives of the Isle of Man, which agreed its extension of the UK’s WTO membership in 1997, was not.

https://jerseyeveningpost.com/news/2018/09/09/uk-government-delegation-in-jersey-for-talks-on-brexit/

FORMER PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANY CHAIRMAN ACCUSED OF ROLE IN $27 MILLION PUMP-AND-DUMP SCHEME

Law 360 reported on 8^th September that a former chairman of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Lt. as well as a blockchain company’s CEO and its biggest investor are being sued by the SEC over allegations they masterminded a $27 million pump-and-dump scheme.  The SEC has accused 10 individuals and 10 associated corporate entities of taking part in pump-and-dump schemes spearheaded by Barry Honig.

https://www.law360.com/articles/1080839

WHY RUSSIA AND CHINA ARE EXPANDING THEIR ROLES IN AFGHANISTAN

Rear Clear Defense on 7^th September published an article claiming that the shared threat of an Islamic State affiliate in Afghanistan will drive Pakistan and Russia into a closer partnership, and that China’s expanding diplomatic and economic profile make it likely that Beijing will establish a limited and localised military presence in Afghanistan.

https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2018/09/07/why_russia_and_china_are_expanding_their_roles_in_afghanistan_113778.html

2 POLISH MEN DETAINED WITH 20 HANDGUNS, AMMUNITION AND CLASS A DRUGS AT DOVER

The NCA on 9^th September said that Polish nationals Lukasz Kur (DOB 02/08/87) and Rafal Anyszek (DOB 25/09/86) were intercepted at Dover Eastern Docks freight controls by Border Force officers and referred to the NCA for investigation. A search of the HGV and trailer revealed 20 handguns, 1,000 rounds of ammunition and a variety of class A drugs concealed within the stated cargo of photocopier paper.

http://www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/news/1466-two-polish-men-charged-with-attempting-to-import-firearms-and-a-cocktail-of-class-a-drugs

 

The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, the source of the Panama Papers and Paradise Papers, amongst other leaks, has published an article explaining how to leak information.  It says that ICIJ is often approached by concerned citizens who believe they have found an injustice that they would like ICIJ to investigate, but few know the first thing about becoming a whistleblower or how to provide information to journalists.  Hence, it has produced a basic guide to leaking.

https://www.icij.org/blog/2018/09/our-who-what-why-leak-explainer/

Air Force Magazine in its 10^th September summary reported a Bloomberg article saying that the US Air Forcee is ending a contract with a Chicago company, A. Finkl and Sons Co, for casings for BLU-137/B penetrator warheads because of its apparent ties to a Russian oligarch.  It says that Bloomberg has reported that Finkl’s Swiss parent company, Schmolz + Bickenbach, has links to a Russian billionaire, Viktor Vekselberg, who has been targeted by US sanctions in response to Russian actions in Ukraine and Crimea.

http://www.airforcemag.com/DRArchive/Pages/2018/September%202018/September%2010%202018/What-is-AI-Next-USAF-Cancels-Contract-After-Learning-of-Companys-Russian-Ties-Training-in-South-America.aspx

The latest edition of Private Eye carries, in its print edition only, a useful special report on how the City of London, its lawyers, law firms, accountancy firms and (alleged) auditors became hopelessly inveigled in the wholesale embezzlement and corruption in and involving Russia since 1989.  It touches upon such things as the fate of the whistleblower who tried to reveal wrongdoings at Latvian bank, Parex; events at Ukrainian bank, Privatbank; and how oligarchs were helped to obtain their toys, such as private jets and using the Isle of Man.  If I were a current or former employee or partner at some (or all) of the firms named I would be embarrassed, to say the least.  Highly recommended, and worth the price of a subscription (or at least a copy of the magazine) as a useful primer on background to the whole Russia-London connection.

http://www.private-eye.co.uk/

The South China Morning Post on 9^th September published an article saying that a craze for hardy succulents, which started in South Korea and spread to China, has resulted in organised gangs stripping California of a plant crucial to its fragile coastal ecosystem.  It says that dudleya poaching was not unheard of in the past: a tractor-trailer had been discovered in Baja California, Mexico, filled with 4,746 plants, but those were an especially rare variety, found only on one small island.  It explains that dudleya is a plant genus containing more than 45 species of succulent, native to the west coast of North America, from Oregon to Baja California, with a couple of species in Arizona, one of which also grows in Nevada and Utah.  Some are common and a great number of the species are rare.

https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/2163157/californias-succulent-smugglers-plant-poachers