Archive for May, 2008
Counterfeit Olympic Merchandise rare in streets of China
A guest columnist in Marketwatch mentions the difficulty in finding counterfeit olympic merchandise in China.
From Marketwatch:
Smart official Olympic merchandise stores sell all manner of genuine, expensive knick-knacks. There’s clearly a market for these high-value goods, and if there’s one thing that China’s counterfeiters are good at, it’s spotting a gap in the market. So where [...]
British men held hostage for one year in Iraq
The five families of five men who are being held hostage in Iraq are making a public appeal for the release of the hostages.
From the BBC News:
The civilian contractors were kidnapped by armed militants at the Iraqi Ministry of Finance in Baghdad.
Some of their friends and relatives marked the first anniversary of their capture by [...]
Canada Art Theft Market
A report highlights the art theft market that is occurring in Canada.
From Canada.com:
It’s a crime that captures the public’s imagination. But the reality of art theft - in the spotlight this weekend with the heist of 12 Bill Reid works - is quite different from the pop culture image, says an international expert.
“The theft upon [...]
If you found marijuana in your bag, please return it to Customs
Japanese Customs Officials are asking the public to return a box of marijuana that was placed in a passenger’s bag for a routine security test that went wrong.
From the BBC News:
A customs officer hid a package of the banned substance in a side pocket of a randomly chosen suitcase in order to test airport security.
Sniffer [...]
See which clips are taken down from YouTube
Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s new website YouTomb collects and displays information about all of the clips taken down for copyright violations on YouTube.
From CNet:
Ever wonder how many YouTube videos vanish from alleged copyright violations? A Massachusetts Institute of Technology research project called YouTomb can show you some.
The site, an effort by the MIT Free Culture [...]
Mexico and Colombia’s War on Drugs
The BBC has an analysis on the current differences between Mexico and Colombia’s battles with the illegal drug trade.
From BBC News:
In Mexico, 1,378 drug-related killings have taken place so far this year, a rise of 50% compared with the same period in 2007. Acting chief of police Edgar Millan was among the victims.
In Colombia, authorities [...]
Corruption in the US Border Patrol
The New York Times has a report on the increase in corruption cases within the US Border Patrol.
From the NY Times:
The pattern has become familiar: Customs officers wave in vehicles filled with illegal immigrants, drugs or other contraband. A Border Patrol agent acts as a scout for smugglers. Trusted officers fall prey to temptation and [...]
Guinea-Bissau becomes hub for cocaine trade
Guinea-Bissau, a small West African Country, is becoming a major hub for the cocaine route between Colombia and Europe.
From the Washington Post:
Guinea-Bissau, one of the world’s poorest nations, has become a major transshipment hub and the epicenter in Africa for the cocaine trade, according to U.S., European and U.N. officials. The shift demonstrates how the flow of [...]
Piracy in Russia still high
Although Russian Authorities have lowered piracy rates in 2007, the trade in counterfeit and pirated goods are still a problem.
From the Moscow Times:
Fewer Russians now buy pirated computer software and cheap bootleg alcohol, but pirated goods on sale in the country still make several billions of dollars per year for counterfeiters, the Higher School of [...]
Corruption in Police force leads to killings in Mexico Drug War
Corruption in the Mexican Police Force is a cause for the killings of police officers in the ongoing drug war that has killed 1,378 people this year.
From the New York Times:
The assassination was an inside job. The federal police commander kept his schedule secret and slept in a different place each night, yet the killer [...]
