Page 74 - DRI ANNUAL REPORT EBOOK

Other Efforts towards the Health and Safety Objectives:
The seizures effected by the DRI in the year 2019-20 in the arenas of agricultural produce, cosmetics and other miscellaneous goods highlight the commitment of the DRI in enforcing not only the Customs Act but also the Allied Acts thereby contributing substantially to health and public safety. The said enforcement activities not only protect revenue but also protect and promote the assurance given to the public with regard to their health and safety through various legal and regulatory mechanisms.
Agricultural produce
The DRI has made several seizures of agricultural produce in the year 2019-20,
viz., dates, arecanuts, black pepper, etc. While many cases booked by the DRI address overvaluation/undervaluation, many highlight the implications for public health and safety caused by non- adherence to mandatory compliances put in place to prevent/minimise safety and health risks. The outright smuggling cases involving the seizure of such items mainly from land and sea cargo also manifest the safety hazards posed by them on account of contravention of prescribed norms enunciated in regulatory frameworks such as the Plant Quarantine (Regulation of Imports into India) Order, 2003 as amended or the conditions laid down by the various Food Safety and Standards Regulations. A few of the seizures highlighting the same are furnished below:
Chart D: Trends in MO of Cigarette Smuggling
Other Tobacco Products
Chewing Tobacco is one of the major causes of oral cancer and shows strong correlation with pulmonary tuberculosis. The DRI Kolkata Zonal Unit booked a case in February 2020in respect of a shipping bill said to be containing chewing tobacco. Examination revealed that the pouches did not contain statutory pictorial markings or warnings for health hazards warranted by the provisions of COTPA, 2003 as amended.
As per the data of the Tobacco Board of India, in terms of tobacco production, India occupies the third position in the world with an annual production of about 750 million kilograms. India also occupies third position in production of tobacco exports, next to Brazil and China. Tobacco and tobacco products earned approximately Rs.22,737 crores to the national exchequer by way of excise revenue, and around Rs. 5870 crores by way of foreign exchange for the year 2019-20. This also places immense responsibility on customs and enforcement agencies to ensure that all regulations put in place to prevent movement of illicit tobacco products to other countries are complied with.
40 SMUGGLING IN INDIA REPORT 2019-20