SMUGGLING

One of the main duties of the Customs Service is to prevent the traffic of smuggling. Smuggled goods can enter the country together with passengers, cargo or with the means of conveyance.
Smuggling is the unlawful bringing in or taking out of the country of prohibited, restricted or dutiable articles. Sometimes the articles are misrepresented or their value is stated false in order to evade paying duties and taxes. Such actions are also considered illegal. Storage or sale of smuggled articles on the territory of the country is forbidden by law.
There are other customs violations connected with smuggling: money laundering, commercial fraud, corruption, copyright and trademark infringements, etc.
The most common objects of smuggling are: currency, drugs, jewelry, precious metals and stones, antiques, arms and ammunition, exotic animals, counterfeit goods, intellectual property, and people.
Smugglers use different places of concealment, for example, inside pockets, double (false) bottoms and sides of bags, toys, souvenirs, books, shoe heels, belts. Sometimes smugglers swallow prohibited articles and carry them inside the body. Means of transport also have many hollow places and inaccessible (hard to reach) areas.
Since methods of smuggling are becoming more and more sophisticated the Customs has to develop new effective methods of detecting cases of contraband. At numerous ports of entry customs officers exercise inspections of passengers, cargo and means of conveyance. In some cases a Personal Search may be carried out. Nowadays they use such high-tech equipment as X-ray screening systems, metal detectors, flexible fiber-scopes, density meters, remote operated cameras, mirror kits etc. Drug-detector dogs are of much help in the fight against the traffic of drugs and explosives. Some countries are known to use biometric scanning technology to check criminal record database.
A person who is found guilty of smuggling may be punished by a fine or taken to court. Smuggled goods are confiscated and turned into Federal property. In some countries drug trafficking entails death penalty.
There is no class distinction between smugglers. They have included people of different ages, professions and social positions.
Ex. 1. Переведите следующие предложения:
1. Контрабанда может доставляться в страну пассажирами, а также
посредством грузов и транспортных средств.
2. Хранение и продажа контрабанды должны быть запрещены законом.
3. Ты можешь не указывать в декларации личные вещи.
4. Существуют различные таможенные правонарушения, связанные с
контрабандой: отмывание денег, коррупция, нарушение прав
интеллектуальной собственности и др.
5. При проведении таможенного досмотра используются различные виды
оборудования: сканеры, металлоискатели, видеокамеры на гибких штативах,
камеры с дистанционным управлением, наборы зеркал и др.
6. В транспортных средствах есть зоны, недоступные для визуального
осмотра.
7. Контрабандисты могут использовать различные места сокрытия.
8. Незаконный ввоз и вывоз в страну запрещенных, ограниченных к вывозу и
ввозу или облагаемых пошлиной предметов, называется контрабандой.
9. Одной из основных задач таможенников должно быть предотвращение
провоза контрабанды.
10. Лицо, признанное виновным в провозе контрабанды, может быть
подвергнуто штрафу или привлечено к уголовной ответственности.

Ex. 2. Закончите следующие предложения, используя герундий в активной или пассивной формах:

1. It depends on а) получим ли мы информацию.
b) будет ли получена информация.
2. Why do you avoid а) использовать высокотехнологичное оборудование?
b) чтобы было использовано высокотехнологичное оборудование?
3. Не objected to а) привлекать контрабандиста к суду.
б) чтобы контрабандист был привлечен к суду.
4. I don´t mind а) провести личный досмотр пассажира.


Дополнительная информация о товаре:
Ex. 3. К каждому вопросу даны несколько вариантов ответа, выберите тот, который считаете правильным, не забудьте про правильное использование форм причастия:

1. After her younger sister was born, Margaret felt ..... and betrayed.

forgotten

being forgotten

fogetting

2. When Linda entered the room, she saw a lot of strangers and she felt ..... .

embarrassing

embarrassed

being embarrassed

3. I heard them ..... in the next room.

quarreled

quarreling

having quarreled

4. A white shawl ..... around the girl’s shoulders made her look like a Greek goddess.

wrapped

being wrapped

having been wrapped

5. A penny saved is a penny ..... .

gaining

gained

having gained

6. ..... as a taxi-driver before, Leo knew every corner of the town.

having worked

working

worked

7. ..... control of his car on an icy road, the driver hit a tree.

Losing

Having lost

Being lost

8. I want my phone number ..... because people often get the wrong number.

changed

having changed

being changed

9. It’s a pity my watch is fast again; I’ve recently had it ..... .

repaired

repairing

being repaired

10. The falling leaves made me think of the ..... autumn.

approaching

approached

having approached

11. ..... by her appearance she looked like a person whose life was hard and full of sorrows.

Having judged

Judged

Judging

12. ..... by the beauty of the girl’s face, Lester didn’t notice that she was sitting in a wheelchair.

Fascinated

Being fascinated

Fascinating

13. She bent down and looked at the tiny kitten ..... under the table.

sitting

having sat

having been sat

14. They looked at Julia in surprise as though ..... her story.

not having believed

not believing

not believed

15. I heard him ..... something from the opposite side of the street, but I pretended not to hear.

shouted

having shouted

shouting