In a clarion call to combat surging global smuggling, FICCI CASCADE Chairman Anil Rajput has formally requested the United Nations to institute February 11 as ‘International Anti-Smuggling Day.’ The goal: ignite worldwide consciousness and collaborative countermeasures.
Rajput, in a detailed conversation, decried smuggling’s unchecked proliferation. ‘From India to every corner of the globe, it’s a pervasive threat. Let’s make February 11 the day nations stand united against it,’ he proposed, envisioning mass campaigns and policy dialogues.
This advocacy unfolded at a marquee FICCI CASCADE event in New Delhi, where policymakers and specialists lauded India’s proactive stance. With 42 customs cooperation accords in place and 21 negotiations ongoing, India’s global enforcement architecture stands taller than ever.
CBIC Member Mohan Kumar Singh outlined the next frontier: evolve from seizure-centric tactics to network-crippling operations. Prioritize disrupting finances, logistics backbones, and cross-border alliances fueling the smuggling underworld, he advised.
Smuggling’s metamorphosis into a high-tech syndicate imperils security and fiscal health, Singh observed. He highlighted budget boosters—AI image analysis, port scanner expansions—set to sharpen tools against contraband. Parallel reforms in GST and customs will incentivize fair play.
Fiscal highlights included busts of 500 kg gold, 150 million illicit cigarettes, 20 metric tons red sanders, 120 kg cocaine. Airport vigilance netted 50 kg heroin, 350 kg amphetamine, 3,700 kg hydroponic cannabis in the first three quarters.
Rajput’s UN plea could catalyze a tipping point. By anchoring anti-smuggling efforts to a symbolic date, the international community might finally outmaneuver these shadowy networks.