Day: February 4, 2021

On 30 January, Homeland Security Today reported that a new report by Europol warns that organised crime groups are increasingly employing violence in pursuit of their criminal objectives, and such violence represents a threat to public security in the EU.  It says that Europol says large ports in the EU are being exploited by criminal groups as transit points and the streets of the surrounding cities are particularly vulnerable to violence. International organised crime groups have established footholds in and around these ports, where the corruption and intimidation of workers critical to the unloading and storage of illicit commodities, and the competition for distribution are taking place. 

https://www.hstoday.us/subject-matter-areas/transportation/organized-crime-groups-becoming-more-violent-and-targeting-ports/

The Europol report is at –

https://www.europol.europa.eu/europol-spotlight/europol-spotlight-use-of-violence-organised-crime-groups

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On 25 January, CNBC reported that shipping costs have skyrocketed as desperate companies wait weeks for containers and pay premium rates to get them, as critical shortage of containers is driving up shipping costs and delays for goods purchased from China.  In December, spot freight rates were 264% higher for the Asia to North Europe route, compared with a year ago.  It is said that the Chinese are being so aggressive about trying to get empty containers back that it is hard to get a container for US exporters.  On 3 February, Fresh Plaza reported that Australian food exporters were also affected by the shortage and Covid-19 protocols.  On 2 February, gCaptain reported that the global competition for the ribbed steel containers means that Thailand can’t ship its rice, Canada is stuck with peas and India can’t offload its mountain of sugar.  Shipping empty boxes back to China has become so profitable that even some US soybean shippers are having to fight for containers to supply hungry Asian buyers.

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/22/shipping-container-shortage-is-causing-shipping-costs-to-rise.html

https://www.freshplaza.com/article/9290373/australian-exporters-hampered-by-container-shortage-and-covid-protocols/

https://gcaptain.com/container-crisis-shortag-food-trade/

https://www.wionews.com/videos/world-business-watch-global-shipping-container-shortage-is-hampering-exports-361001

I would be grateful for any modest contribution for my time and ongoing costs of computer, relocation, and (still ongoing) removal costs, I have a page, where contributions start as low as $3, at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/KoIvM842y

On 3 February, Vice reported that China is said to be ignoring a chemical industry that is fuelling the deadly US drug crisis because it brings huge profits into the country.  Almost all the precursor chemicals used by Mexican cartels to make fentanyl and methamphetamine for the US market are coming out of China.

https://www.vice.com/en/article/3an43y/china-turns-blind-eye-to-lucrative-cartel-chemical-trade-dea-says

I would be grateful for any modest contribution for my time and ongoing costs of computer, relocation, and (still ongoing) removal costs, I have a page, where contributions start as low as $3, at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/KoIvM842y

On 4 February, an article from Appleby contained a warning of the risks of a fine for contempt of court (a criminal penalty, not a civil one).  This followed a £2 million fine for a litigant in a matter arising, inter alia, from a failure to provide disclosure of assets in a civil case before the Royal Court.   There is no statutory limit on the level of fine that the Jersey Court can impose for contempt. 

https://www.applebyglobal.com/publications/gbp-2million-fine-for-contempt-of-court-the-jersey-royal-court-issues-stark-warning-to-litigants/

I would be grateful for any modest contribution for my time and ongoing costs of computer, relocation, and (still ongoing) removal costs, I have a page, where contributions start as low as $3, at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/KoIvM842y

EU Regulation 2021/131/EU has removed IRAQI STATE ENTERPRISE FOR FOODSTUFFS TRADING from the EU Iraq sanctions lists.

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv%3AOJ.L_.2021.040.01.0021.01.ENG&toc=OJ%3AL%3A2021%3A040%3ATOC

I would be grateful for any modest contribution for my time and ongoing costs of computer, relocation, and (still ongoing) removal costs, I have a page, where contributions start as low as $3, at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/KoIvM842y

On 4 February, Transparency International reported that the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combatting Corruption (AUCPCC) was adopted by the African Union Assembly in 2003.  It was designed as a shared roadmap for member states to implement governance and anti-corruption measures, the convention aims to eradicate corruption in government and business; but 44 of the 55 member states have ratified the convention, yet there is little information on how well it is implemented in practice.  A new report looks at 3 important areas: money laundering, illicit enrichment and political party funding, as well as the role civil society and media play in fighting corruption.

https://images.transparencycdn.org/images/2020_Report_AU-Convention-Review_English.pdf

(also available in French)

I would be grateful for any modest contribution for my time and ongoing costs of computer, relocation, and (still ongoing) removal costs, I have a page, where contributions start as low as $3, at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/KoIvM842y

On 4 February, KYC 360 reported that the UK government and the NCA are planning a crackdown on company formation agents.  It is said that the NCA’s National Economic Crime Centre, which co-ordinates efforts to prevent fraud, is working with HM Treasury to “drive down the risks” associated with the industry.  Steps such as such as stricter regulation and greater enforcement are being considered after an official review.  There are about 20,000 TCSP in the UK assisting with the creation of corporate structures. 

https://www.riskscreen.com/kyc360/news/u-k-formation-agents-facing-crackdown-over-organised-crime-links/

I would be grateful for any modest contribution for my time and ongoing costs of computer, relocation, and (still ongoing) removal costs, I have a page, where contributions start as low as $3, at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/KoIvM842y