The Manufacterer Newsletter 8.5 x 11 E-MAG
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Illicit<br />
trade is:<br />
Involving money, goods or<br />
value gained from illegal and<br />
generally unethical activity.<br />
also conducted for this article. <strong>The</strong><br />
gross profits out of cocaine sales<br />
were estimated at US$84 billion for<br />
the year 2009, compared with about<br />
US$1 billion earned by the farmers in<br />
the Andean region. Most of the gross<br />
profits (retail and wholesale) were<br />
generated in North America (US$35<br />
billion) and in West and Central Europe<br />
(US$26 billion).This research was done<br />
by the United Nations Office on Drugs<br />
and Crime. <strong>The</strong> money generated from<br />
this illegal market is often used to<br />
support a cycle of corruption practices<br />
and allowing groups in power to gain<br />
resources that can be used for selfinterests<br />
and not the interests of the<br />
populace.<br />
Environmentally, the impacts of illicit<br />
trade on the environment go beyond<br />
the immediate detrimental effects<br />
on target species. For instance, illicit<br />
trade in wildlife can lead to the spread<br />
of diseases and invasive species<br />
when live animals are moved across<br />
international borders. <strong>The</strong> populace<br />
is faced with health risks from these<br />
invasive species. Trinidad and Tobago<br />
has seen over the years an increase<br />
in illicit cigarettes, counterfeit alcohol,<br />
guns, wildlife and many more. <strong>The</strong>se<br />
items have been imported illegally at<br />
an alarming rate as the country has<br />
been seen as a major trading hub.<br />
TTMA’s role….<br />
In an attempt to tackle this growing<br />
problem, the Trinidad and Tobago<br />
Manufacturers’ Association (TTMA)<br />
has established a Trade Desk Officer to<br />
focus on the investigation of illicit trade<br />
and unfair trading practices in Trinidad<br />
and Tobago.<br />
This Trade Desk has been established<br />
to highlight the area on illicit trade and<br />
its impact on the manufacturing sector<br />
and to strengthen partnerships with key<br />
agencies with the aim of developing<br />
strategies to combat illicit trade.<br />
Primarily, the functions of this Trade<br />
Desk are to receive and record<br />
complaints of illicit trade and unfair<br />
trade practices by our members,<br />
conduct investigation into these<br />
complaints, report complaints to<br />
relevant authorities (Customs and<br />
Excise, TTBS , CFDD , Fair Trading<br />
Unit) and address way forward. <strong>The</strong><br />
four main areas that will be addressed<br />
by the Trade Desk include:<br />
• Counterfeiting<br />
• Dumping Practices<br />
• Smuggling<br />
• Non-compliance to<br />
labeling regulations.<br />
Illicit trade, in its varying forms poses<br />
number of adverse problems for<br />
society, government and state. It is<br />
the hope of TTMA, that this desk will<br />
commence the end of illicit trade in<br />
our ‘home’ of Trinidad and Tobago.<br />
Please contact Mr. Ismahieel Ali at<br />
tradeassist@ttma.com or 675-8862<br />
extension 234 for more information on<br />
the illicit trade desk at TTMA.<br />
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