Page 107 - DRI ANNUAL REPORT EBOOK

D. Protecting Public Health
Various items that are consumed by humans have prescribed guidelines. Attempts are made to smuggle into India low quality edibles which are not fit for human consumption or are not adhering to prescribed standards/guidelines by mis-declaration and concealment or are smuggled through porous border in the North East, Nepal and Bangladesh. In this context, FSSAI standards, Weights and Measures Act, The Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), The Drugs and Cosmetics Act are commonly being violated in course of smuggling. Section 25 of FSSAI Act deals with import of food items and further provides that “The Central Government shall, while prohibiting, restricting or otherwise regulating import of article of food under the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992 (22 of 1992), follow the standards laid down by the Food Authority under the provisions of this Act and the Rules and regulations made there under”.
In the public interest, to avoid risk to human being or animals, Central Government, under Section 10 & 10A of The Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1972, can prohibit import of certain drugs or cosmetics. Section 11 of this Act provides for empowerment of officers of Customs under this Act.
Table
Over the years, due to the steady rise in the price of domestic cigarettes post taxes, there has been a phenomenal rise in smuggling of foreign origin cigarettes into India. Recent trends show large quantity of smuggling of cigarettes from Dubai and Malaysia via sea routes in containerized cargo by misdeclaring the items and also by clearance through various SEZs. Smaller quantities are smuggled through airports (passenger carrier). Brands such as Win, Paris, Ruili River, Esse Light, Esse Black, Esse Gold, Gudang Garam etc. of Dubai, Korea and Myanmar origin are commonly smuggled cigarettes. The most interesting trend noticed in the recent times is smuggling of cigarettes through Myanmar border and subsequent distribution in India via rail and road networks. The frequency with which such smuggled items are transported from Myanmar border to the capital city of India via premium trains like Rajdhani Express is a matter of serious concern. Directorate of Revenue Intelligence foiled a number of attempts of smuggling of Cigarettes of foreign origin into India which involved not only violations of the Customs Act, 1962, but also the violation of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA). The seizure figures are reflected in table below:-
CIGARETTES
16-17
17-18
18-19
19-20
Cases
24
29
24
42
Quantity (Number of Sticks in Lakhs)
386.87
377.47
407.91
347.22
Value ( Rs. in Lakhs)
4288.67
3639.48
5692.4
4955.35
SMUGGLING IN INDIA REPORT 2019-20 73