New DelhiFinance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday asked enforcement agencies to go after the “big fish” and nab global mafias who control the operations of sending “mountains” of illegal drugs into the country. The minister asked revenue intelligence officers to engage more with their international counterparts to book ‘big bosses’ working behind the scenes and ensure that smugglers do not outwit officers.
Revenue intelligence officers should try to bring each case to its logical conclusion at the earliest, he said, adding that smugglers would definitely leave a trail and this should be used to reach the key operatives who are actually behind the operation. “You gotta make sure you don’t let the smuggler outsmart you all… We need to work hard and make sure that the logical conclusion isn’t just for the fellow who comes with a small pouch or a Was caught with kgs of cocaine, but who is sending mountains of it into this country, who can actually finance the mountains…,” he said.
His statement came in the backdrop of a huge haul of drugs being seized at Gujarat ports in recent months. Last week, 143 kg of drugs worth around Rs 478 crore were seized in the poll-bound state of Gujarat. Sitharaman was addressing the 65th Foundation Day of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), which is primarily tasked with busting illegal trade in narcotics and psychotropic substances, gold, diamonds, fake currency notes and other items in the country besides providing punitive action. involved in taking action. criminals.
In the last financial year (2021-22), the DRI had seized 3,463 kg of heroin (including 2,988 kg seized at Mundra port), 833 kg of gold and 321 kg of cocaine, among other contraband. Stating that the deterrent effect of these seizures is manifold, Sitharaman said crime syndicates are evolving at a fast pace and are using new methods of hiding drugs and gold in commercial consignments of goods.
He said the news of drug seizures by DRI also raises questions in the minds of people as to how many of those arrested went to jail, and who are actually the big fish behind it. “You are catching small fry, paddlers, traffickers, mules. Is this enough to gain public confidence which is not enough at all. Are you going to screen the big masterminds of such cases to face the law of the land?” able to get behind,” Sitharaman said.
The minister also suggested that the DRI officials build greater reach for international cooperation and greater global coordination to share intelligence to reach the main perpetrators of crime.
“Until at least in some cases you are able to get to the big fries who are actually behind these operations, the constant question in the mind of the citizen is who are the people who carried it out, who There is the global mafia who actually controls it.. Can there be a bigger visible approach to bring them to book and convicted to face the law,” the minister said.
Sitharaman also asked the officials to ascertain whether India is a transit country or a consuming country when it comes to smuggling of illegal drugs. Referring to gold smuggling, he asked intelligence officials to study whether there is any pattern and connection between import and smuggling.
In the last financial year, the DRI had seized 833.07 kg of gold worth Rs 405.35 crore. The minister also asked the DRI officials to use technology for crime detection, but at the same time they should develop firewalls to protect their data and systems from hackers.
“The same technology that serves as a tool for your work can also become a double-edged sword … so be sure to protect the technology and systems you’re relying on,” she said.