Private Sector Commission takes aim at counterfeit goods

As part of efforts to crack down on counterfeit goods on the local market, the Private Sector Commission has established an illicit trade desk which has actively assisted the authorities, the PSC Chairman Gerry Gouveia Jr said.

Speaking with the News Room this week, Gouveia Jr said the PSC took note of several fake products locally.

“That can be from gold smuggling to counterfeit goods, fake cigarettes, fake juice boxes…anything in the gamut of that, and how do we stop all of thoese illegal trade activities and maintain high levels of transparency and accountability in the system? We’re working now as a collective body between Guyana Revenue Authority, the Financial Intelligence Unit, the Customs Anti-Narcotic Unit (CANU) and the different enforcement agencies as well as private sector bodies to set up a hotline desk,” Gouveia Jr said.

Illicit trade is a crime that involves counterfeiting, tax evasion, and the smuggling of consumer products. Among the items susceptible to illicit trade are highly taxable commodities such as tobacco, alcohol, pharmaceuticals, designer apparel and footwear, and wildlife.

How this desk works is by providing a hotline for persons to raise alarms about these suspected issues, and the PSC relays this information to the relevant authority for investigations to be conducted.

“A few of the recent busts from GRA or FIU, the private sector was part of that information sharing- people called in, we shared it, and the system is moving,” he said.

Additionally, several awareness sessions were held by the commission to promote safety and raise awareness of the issue.

Despite implications, the crime persists, affecting legitimate business operators and impacting the safety and well-being of citizens. Persons with information or complaints related to activities they suspect to be illicit trade can contact the Commission via email office@psc.org.gy or telephone 225-5347.