Amit Shah congratulates NCB for busting global drug cartel, US thanks India
The US Embassy India official thanked the NCB and Indian authorities. It wrote, "Thanks to NCB and Indian authorities for helping protect Americans against illegal drugs and saving American lives!"The cartel used encrypted apps, cryptocurrency, and international drop-shipping to smuggle-controlled medicines from India to countries including the USA, Australia, and several European nations. The operation began with a routine vehicle check near Mandi House in Delhi on May 25, where NCB officials intercepted two individuals with 3.7 kilograms of Tramadol tablets. Both were B. Pharma graduates and confessed to running a vendor profile on a popular Indian B2B platform to sell drugs overseas.advertisementFurther investigation led to key arrests in Roorkee, Delhi, and Udupi, Karnataka, where a call centre was discovered to be managing international orders. Data retrieved from the suspects revealed 50 international shipments - 29 within the US, 18 within Australia, and one each to Spain, Estonia, and Switzerland. This information was shared with global agencies and Interpol, triggering raids abroad.In Alabama, US authorities arrested a re-shipper, Joel Hall, and seized over 17,000 tablets of controlled medicines. In parallel, Australian law enforcement dismantled an illegal pill-manufacturing unit linked to the same syndicate. Five suspicious parcels containing Zolpidem tablets were also intercepted in the US. The US Embassy in India thanked Indian authorities for helping save American lives through their timely action.The syndicate operated with a structured digital and financial system. Orders were taken via a B2B platform with premium listings to attract global clients. Payments were made in cryptocurrency, routed through layered commissions to suppliers and re-shippers across different nations. Repeat buyers were often groomed to become logistics partners, helping the network expand organically.The kingpin behind the syndicate has been identified and located in the UAE. Indian authorities are now working closely with their UAE counterparts to bring him to justice. With the operation exposing the convergence of cyber tools and transnational logistics in modern drug trafficking, Indian agencies have intensified financial and cyber probes, including the tracking of crypto wallets and hawala networks.- EndsMust Watch
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Mint
17 minutes ago
- Mint
Vietnam trade deal takes aim at back door for Chinese goods
SINGAPORE—A tariff agreement with Vietnam emphasizes one of the White House's top priorities in this frantic round of dealmaking over global trade: Slamming shut any back door routes for Chinese goods to enter the U.S. A key provision of the Vietnam deal announced by President Trump Wednesday is that goods 'transshipped" to the U.S. through Vietnam would be subject to a punitive 40% tariff, twice the 20% rate Trump said he is applying to regular imports from Vietnam. The president didn't mention China explicitly and the exact details of how such rerouting will be defined and policed are unclear. Nevertheless, analysts say the measure appears squarely aimed at making it harder for firms to use the southeast Asian nation as a staging post to ship goods to the U.S. from China while sidestepping the steep levies that Chinese imports would typically face. These provisions of the Vietnam deal show that China remains the central focus of U.S. trade policy even after Washington and Beijing reached a shaky trade truce and discussions with other partners over trade drag on. The agreement implies that other countries will also be expected to limit China's presence in their economies if they want to keep selling to the U.S. The U.S. and U.K. agreed to provisions in their recent trade pact that require the U.K. to strengthen supply-chain security, which were similarly interpreted as targeting China. 'There does appear to be a more strategic intent here by the U.S. to essentially restrict Chinese exports entering the U.S. market via the backdoor," said Frederic Neumann, chief Asia economist at HSBC in Hong Kong. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning on Thursday reiterated Beijing's displeasure at the U.S. approach when asked about the pact, saying trade 'negotiations and agreements should not target or harm the interests of third parties." Vietnam was one of the main beneficiaries of the reordering of global supply chains in the wake of Trump's first term and the tumult of the Covid-19 pandemic. Factories mushroomed around Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City as Chinese and Western firms looked for ways to diversify their production base amid the strains of the pandemic and increasing geopolitical rivalry between Washington and Beijing. For U.S. consumers, Vietnam's entry into the top rank of exporting nations brought a bounty of affordable goods, as companies including Nike and Apple expanded production in the country. Shares of both companies rose Thursday after Trump said the trade pact was agreed. Michel Bertsch, who runs a factory in Vietnam that sells baby furniture such as cribs to the U.S. and other Western countries, said the 20% tariffs will inevitably translate into higher prices for American consumers. Still, he said he thought that Vietnam would remain a top destination for manufacturing. U.S. imports from China are subject to an average tariff of 40% to 50%, giving Vietnam an edge even with a 20% tariff, though whether it can keep that advantage depends on where tariff rates settle for alternative bases such as India or Indonesia. 'We need to wait and see what tariffs will be imposed on other countries but we don't think that we will lose competitiveness," Bertsch said. As recently as 2018, the U.S. deficit in goods trade with Vietnam was smaller than its deficit with Japan or Germany and a 10th the size of its deficit with China. By the end of last year, the U.S. deficit with Vietnam had ballooned to more than $120 billion, putting Vietnam behind only China and Mexico in its share of the U.S.'s $1.2 trillion goods trade deficit. Vietnam's rise up the rankings in U.S. trade has also drawn scrutiny from the U.S. as a hub for simply rerouting China-made goods bound for the U.S. for firms wanting to dodge tariffs. Chinese exports to the U.S. were about 10% lower in the first five months of the year than the same period a year earlier as tariffs bit into direct trade between the two economic superpowers, Chinese customs data show. Over the same period, however, Vietnamese imports from China were up 28% year over year, Vietnamese data show, while Vietnamese exports to the U.S. rose 26%. Deepali Bhargava, regional head of research for Asia-Pacific at investment bank ING, said in a report Thursday there are 'strong signs of transshipment" in sectors including machinery, electrical products and insulated wires and cables. Vietnam has taken steps to crack down on such trade rerouting through tougher policing of rules of origin certification, which give customs authorities detailed information about where a product and its components were made to levy the appropriate duties. Many different types of goods made in Vietnam, including clothing, furniture and electronics, use components made in China. Exactly how the U.S. plans to determine whether a product from Vietnam would qualify for a 20% tariff or a 40% tariff isn't clear. Still, 'these provisions send a clear message to global firms: the recent fall in tariffs between the U.S. and China doesn't weaken the argument for building supply chains outside China," Capital Economics economists Mark Williams and Gareth Leather said in a report Thursday. Write to Jason Douglas at and Jon Emont at
Time of India
21 minutes ago
- Time of India
Donald Trump's ‘Big, Beautiful Bill' heads for final vote — major relief for NRIs as India remittance tax cut to 1%
The US House of Representatives is expected to hold a final vote on President Donald Trump's flagship tax-and-spending legislation, known as the 'One Big, Beautiful Bill.' This comprehensive bill, central to Trump's second-term economic plans, has faced a challenging journey through Congress. Despite initial approval in May, the bill returns to the lower chamber after narrowly passing the Senate on Tuesday with a one-vote margin. Although introduced by the Republican president, the bill has attracted criticism from several lawmakers within his own party. Concerns raised include the projected $3 trillion increase in national debt and significant cuts to social welfare programs. Major relief for Indian remitters in final draft One of the most notable revisions in the final draft of the bill, released on June 27, involves a substantial reduction in the proposed tax on international remittances. Originally set at 5 percent, the tax was first reduced to 3.5 percent and now stands at just 1 percent. This change comes as a relief to many Indian professionals and non-resident Indians (NRIs) in the US who regularly send money back home. The provision will benefit nearly 4.5 million Indians living in the US, including 3.2 million persons of Indian origin. It applies to US residents who are not citizens—such as Green Card holders, temporary visa holders like H-1B and H-2A workers, and international students. According to the latest version of the bill, 'There is hereby imposed on any remittance transfer a tax equal to 1 per cent of the amount of such transfer… paid by the sender.' Specific transfers exempt from tax The bill also outlines specific exemptions. Transfers made from accounts held by financial institutions and those funded via US-issued debit or credit cards will not be taxed under this provision. Cash transfers, money orders, and cashier's checks will fall under the 1 percent tax rate. This final version of the bill reflects efforts to balance domestic economic concerns with the financial realities of millions of immigrants working in the United States, particularly those from India. As the House prepares for a conclusive vote, all eyes remain on how this high-stakes legislation will shape Trump's economic legacy.
The Hindu
21 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Is the government reluctant to ensure better road safety for its citizens?
With the monsoon session of Parliament scheduled for the 21st of this month, road safety activists in the country have begun a push towards demanding more stringent legislation for automobiles, roads and highways, to ensure better safety for all road users. This is not a small concern – India has one of the highest road traffic accident rates in the world, its roads are some of the world's most deadly, and every three minutes in our country, there is a death due to a road accident. According to Union Minister for Road Transport Nitin Gadkari, every year India sees 4,80,000 accidents, which lead to 1,88,000 deaths of people aged between 18 and 45 years. Additionally, there are 10,000 deaths of children. The country loses 3% of its GDP annually, due to road accidents. Why are our roads so unsafe? Do the problems lie with road design, behaviour on the roads, a lack of implementation of laws or a combination of all these factors and more? Is the government reluctant to ensure better road safety for its citizens? Guest: Ranjit Gadgil, programme director, Parisar, which is part of the Road Safety Network, an Indian coalition of organisations working to improve road safety in the country Host: Zubeda Hamid Edited by Jude Francis Weston For more episodes of In Focus:
