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Salla SAASTAMOINEN
Director-General (acting)
OLAF
MESSAGE

It is a great pleasure to contribute to this “Smuggling in India Report 2024-25”. This publi-
cation reflects not only the progress achieved in combating fraudulent activities, but also
the constant commitment of the global customs community to safeguarding the integrity
of international trade and protecting society at large.

OLAF, the European Anti-Fraud Office, plays a central role on behalf of the EU to
prevent, detect and investigate customs fraud, together and in close cooperation with
national customs authorities both within and beyond the EU.

Today, customs fraud manifests in forms that are ever more diverse, sophisticated and
global. New technologies, complex supply chains, and rapidly evolving fraud schemes all
contribute to a landscape where risks are increasing and detection is more challenging.
Fraudsters are quick to exploit loopholes and weaknesses in control systems, adapting
their methods with remarkable agility.

Tackling these threats requires more than vigilance — it requires determination, innova-
tion, and above all, cooperation. No customs administration can address these challeng-
es alone. Only by working together, by exchanging information and intelligence quickly
and reliably, and by acting in concert, can we disrupt fraudsters networks and protect our
economies and citizens. Trust and partnership are the real force multipliers in this fight.

This is why our cooperation with the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (‘DRI’) is so
vital. For over twenty years now, it had stood as a model of effective partnership. Our
Agreement on Customs Cooperation and Mutual Administrative Assistance in Customs
Matters provides the legal foundation to exchange information — on request or sponta-
neously — and to turn intelligence into action. Joint Customs Operations have further
demonstrated the added value of acting together, pooling expertise and resources to
achieve concrete results.

Looking ahead, the need for robust, adaptive, and pro-active cooperation will only grow.
I am confident that our long-standing partnership with DRI will continue to flourish, and
that together we will continue to successfully meet the increasingly complex challenges
of fighting customs fraud.

Salla SAASTAMOINEN

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