Spike in cocaine, contraband cigarettes, currency seizures: Anti-smuggling agency

• Seizures of drugs such as cocaine and methamphetamine, contraband cigarettes, and illicit foreign currency by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) have seen a sharp rise over the past year.

Highlights:

• The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has reported a notable increase in seizures of narcotics, contraband cigarettes, and illicit foreign currency over the past year. The agency’s Smuggling in India report for FY24 and early FY25 outlines a dynamic landscape of smuggling operations, adapting tactics, and evolving challenges.

Cocaine and Methamphetamine Smuggling on the Rise:

• Cocaine seizures more than doubled in FY24, with 47 cases involving 107 kg worth ₹975 crore. Airports remain the primary entry point, and smuggling has increased by 9% compared to FY23. Methamphetamine seizures, particularly in northeastern states like Assam and Mizoram, reached 136 kg in FY24, with an additional 123 kg seized in just the first half of FY25.

Contraband Cigarettes: A Growing Challenge:

• The report highlights the increasing role of Free Trade Warehousing Zones in West Asia, especially Dubai, as major transit hubs for smuggling contraband cigarettes from Southeast Asia. Cigarette seizures rose 19% in the first half of FY25 to 3.95 crore sticks compared to FY24’s 3.31 crore sticks during the same period.

Surge in Illicit Foreign Currency and Money Laundering:

• Illicit foreign currency seizures surpassed FY24’s total within six months of FY25, reaching ₹13.8 crore. Additionally, DRI unearthed a ₹576 crore trade-based money laundering racket, emphasizing the use of over-invoicing to siphon foreign exchange out of the country.

Gold Smuggling: Evolving Tactics:

• Gold smuggling declined slightly in FY24, with 1,319 kg seized compared to 1,450 kg in FY23. Smuggling syndicates now employ diverse “mules,” including families and foreign nationals, and utilize insider assistance at international airports. Land routes through Myanmar, Bangladesh, and Nepal account for the majority of smuggling (55%), with air routes contributing 36%.

Contrasting Trends in Narcotics Seizures:

• While cocaine smuggling has surged, heroin and ganja seizures have declined. In FY24, DRI confiscated 8,224 kg of narcotics, including:
  • 107 kg of cocaine (₹975 crore)
  • 49 kg of heroin (₹365 crore)
  • 236 kg of mephedrone (₹357 crore)
  • 136 kg of methamphetamine (₹275 crore)

Wildlife Smuggling: A Persistent Threat:

• The report underscores the continued threat to wildlife, citing seizures of elephant tusks, leopard skins, pangolin scales, live peacocks, and turtles. In FY24, 53.5 kg of elephant tusks and 643 turtles were rescued. The amended Wildlife Protection Act of 2023 has empowered customs officers to address wildlife trafficking more effectively.

Prelims Takeaways

• Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI)
• Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP)
• Wildlife Protection Act