Smuggling Report 2023-2024: Key Trends, Routes, and Enforcement Challenges

The smuggling landscape in India saw significant shifts in 2023-2024, with increased illicit trade in drugs, gold, and wildlife products. Notably, cocaine and hydroponic ganja smuggling have surged, primarily through air and maritime routes. Smuggling syndicates continue to exploit weak borders and advanced concealment techniques, making it a major challenge for authorities. This report highlights the growing trends, key smuggling routes, and efforts by agencies like DRI to curb illegal activities.

Major Trends of Smuggling:

• Cocaine Smuggling: Major increase in cocaine smuggling, especially by air route from South America and African nations, 47 cases in 2023-24, while the count for the last year was 21.

• Hydroponic Ganja: Smuggled from US, Thailand, and other countries.

• Black Cocaine: A newly developed form of cocaine, chemically coated with material like charcoal or iron oxide, hence not detected by drug-sniffing techniques.

Smuggling of Illicit Gold Imports:

• Gold Smuggling: India is a major consumer of smuggled gold, mainly coming from West Asia (UAE, Saudi Arabia). Smuggling syndicates engage "mules," which include foreigners and families, to ferry in gold.

Smuggling Routes and Techniques:

• East Borders: Higher smuggling through relatively weak borders with Bangladesh and Myanmar particularly methamphetamine into the northeastern states such as Assam and Mizoram.

• Maritime and Air Routes: Long coastlines and busy skies present potential for drug smuggling: drugs hidden in cargo shipping containers, fishing vessels, luggage, and parcels delivered by courier.

Environmental and Wildlife Crime:

• Illegal Wildlife Trade: Ongoing demand for elephant tusks, star tortoises and other wildlife products, especially into the Southeast Asian market.

• Hunting: Peacocks, pangolins, leopards are hunted to meet illegal trade.

Narco-Trafficking Routes:

• Death Crescent (Golden): Afghani, Iranian and Pakistani heroin is coming into the country through African, Gulf and traditional India-Pak routes.

Death Triangle (Golden): Synthetic drugs and heroin from Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand are coming into northeastern states with porous borders in India.

DRI and Anti-Smuggling Efforts:

• Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI): 

  • It was established in 1957. 

  • This is the first agency that prevents and prevents smuggling and enforces customs regulations. 

  • It deals with drugs, gold, wildlife, among other contrabands.

Global and Indian Initiatives:

• UNODC: Lead the world in drugs. 

• INCB-India: Leads the world concerning the prevention of drug smuggling. 

• Paris Pact Initiative: Curbing Afghan opiate trafficking  

• NDPS Act, 1985: Legal backing to control drugs in the country.

• Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), which enforces drug policies in the country.

• National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction: Focuses on prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation.

Conclusion

The Smuggling Report 2023-2024 underscores the escalating challenges of illicit trade in India. From advanced narcotics like black cocaine to the persistent gold and wildlife smuggling, the report reveals evolving techniques and routes. With agencies like DRI and global collaborations intensifying anti-smuggling efforts, there is a focused push to address these threats to the economy, environment, and national security. Strengthening border management and leveraging technology are pivotal in the fight against this growing menace.