New Delhi is stepping up its fight against smuggling with a bold call from FICCI CASCADE Chairman Anil Rajput. He has urged the United Nations to officially designate February 11 as ‘International Anti-Smuggling Day’ to spark global awareness and united action against this growing menace.
In an exclusive interview, Rajput highlighted the alarming rise in smuggling worldwide, crippling economies and threatening security. ‘We need a dedicated day where nations come together to raise their voices against smuggling,’ he emphasized. This initiative aims to foster international cooperation, much like other global observance days that have successfully driven change.
The appeal comes amid a high-profile event in the national capital organized by FICCI CASCADE, where experts dissected India’s robust anti-smuggling framework. India has inked 42 mutual customs cooperation agreements and is negotiating 21 more with key trading partners, significantly bolstering its international enforcement network.
Mohan Kumar Singh, Member (Compliance Management) from the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), delivered key insights. He advocated shifting from reactive, incident-based seizures to proactive, network-disrupting strategies. ‘Target financial flows, logistics enablers, and the international ties sustaining illicit ecosystems,’ Singh stressed.
Smuggling, he noted, has evolved into a tech-driven organized economic crime with direct repercussions on national security and economic stability. Recent budget announcements, including AI-powered image analytics and expanded container scanning at major ports, promise to supercharge enforcement. GST simplifications and customs reforms will further ease compliance while deterring illegal trade.
Singh spotlighted impressive first-quarter results of the current fiscal: nearly 500 kg of gold, 150 million illegal cigarette sticks, over 20 metric tons of red sanders, and 120 kg of cocaine seized. Airports yielded another haul—50 kg heroin, 350 kg amphetamine, and 3,700 kg hydroponic cannabis.
These achievements underscore India’s commitment, but Rajput insists global synchronization is key. Declaring February 11 as International Anti-Smuggling Day could galvanize worldwide efforts, turning the tide against smugglers who operate across borders with impunity.