Last year, DRI seized banned materials worth Rs 3500 crore, detected 623 cases of smuggling

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) detected 623 cases of smuggling and seized banned materials worth Rs 3500 crore in the last financial year. Drugs and gold were recovered the most among the seized materials.

In fact, Mohan Kumar Singh, DRI's Principal Director General, spoke at a seminar hosted by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry. The most commonly smuggled goods in the country are drugs and gold. He stated that breaking the supply chain is critical to preventing smuggling, and it is also the most difficult challenge.

DRI discovered numerous banned materials in the previous fiscal year. DRI Principal Director General Mohan Kumar Singh stated on Thursday that infiltration into supply chains has emerged as a major challenge in combating smuggling. The use of air passengers, couriers, and postal cargo to smuggle these items is also a cause for concern.

The DRI had detected 623 smuggling cases. This means that on average 2 cases were reported every day. The DRI had seized Rs 3,500 crore in smuggling. Singh said that narcotics and psychotropic substances account for the largest share of this smuggling. Gold comes next.

Apart from this, he said that most of the smuggling is done through flights, couriers, and post cargo. In such a situation, it is very important to stop it. According to sources, the DRI seized 1,658 kg of gold in the financial year 2023-24, which is 35 percent more than the gold seized last year. In such a situation, it is very important to stop the surge in smuggling cases.

He said that 'illegal border trade' is an international issue, so global cooperation with enforcement agencies and international organizations is a way to deal with it. Along with this, involving the concerned stakeholders will help in detecting and curbing smuggling.

FICCI CASCADE Chairman Anil Rajput said that traffickers use AI and other technologies for everything from route planning to risk assessment and strategy. There is a need for constant attention to deal with this misuse of technology. Creating a global forum can solve this.