New Delhi: Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday urged anti-smuggling agency, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), to use all modern technologies and also work with all other agencies in the country and abroad to detect deep systemic threats to the economy and catch the big fish involved in smuggling, drug trafficking and illicit trade, rather than the small ones.
The minister’s suggestion comes in the context of the recent flare-up in border tensions with Pakistan.
The minister told officials that in order to be effective, enforcement agencies needed to make efforts in three directions.
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Firstly, officials should not think of enforcement and facilitation as opposite ends of the spectrum. Also, a robust intelligence framework that detects fraud is essential, not just to catch wrongdoers but also to create a level playing field for honest trade, the minister said.
“Rules must be applied fairly, and consistently, and frauds must be caught swiftly in order to have legitimate businesses thrive and also for the confidence in our trade system to deepen.”
The minister said officials should investigate cases holistically, keeping the big picture in focus, not merely to chase isolated infractions. They should leverage all available information and data on the behavioural patterns of individuals and entities concerned, and connect the dots to uncover deeper systemic threats.
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Sitharaman said the goal must be to dismantle the entire network and the syndicates involved in smuggling and illicit trade, not just to intercept the fragments. The finance minister said she has often repeated this message to enforcement agencies: “It’s no good if you catch the small fry. The bigger ones are the ones who are there, not being touched by many of our actions.”
She urged officials to track these entities down. “Track them down and act upon them. It is not easy, I know, but we should show some tangible results on it.”
Sitharaman also told officials to make sure cases are brought to their logical conclusion, that is, finding the masterminds behind smuggling and getting them convicted.
Thirdly, the minister said, enforcement actions need to be rooted in both data and dharma.
Actions must be not only unyielding, but also just, Sitharaman said.
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The minister explained that exposing and stopping fraud and smuggling helps to move from fear-driven compliance to an environment of value—and trust-based compliance.
“I urge every officer to keep their minds agile, values anchored, and visions elevated,” the minister told the officials.
