Sitharaman Urges DRI to Target Smuggling Kingpins, Warns of Drug Menace in Schools
At DRI HQ inauguration, Finance Minister calls for sharper intelligence, stronger inter-agency coordination, and a shift from minor catches to dismantling entire criminal networks.
Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday asked revenue intelligence officers to develop better coordination with state law enforcing agencies and greater alertness and actionable intelligence to nab masterminds behind smuggling syndicates. “No good if you catch small fish of fry. The bigger ones are the ones who are not being touched by many of our actions,” she said, while inaugurating the new headquarters building of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) here.
Stressing that narcotic is the biggest threat as it is coming into every state and even small towns, Sitharaman said that schools and colleges are the ‘first victims’ of drug abuse. She also asked for better inter-agency coordination for taking faster actions on the huge pile of intelligence data. “The DRI needs to have ‘greater awareness and more actionable intelligence’ and enforcement agencies should be smart enough to decide on which information is actionable and which has to be taken up immediately from the dump of data which they receive,” she said.
“Investigate holistically keeping the big picture in focus, not merely to chase isolated infractions. Leverage all available information and data on an entity, on an individual, and their behavioural patterns to uncover deeper systemic risks and threats by connecting latent dots. The goal must be to dismantle the entire network and the syndicate, not just to intercept fragments. So, there is that area which I would still call as a grey area,” she added.
As per latest data, last year, DRI seized 1,382 kg of gold in multiple operations in which key members of syndicates have been arrested and networks busted. During 2024, DRI also seized 62 kg of heroin, 85 kg of cocaine, more than 10,000 kg of ganja and over 600 kg of synthetic drugs, including Ketamine, Methamphetamine and Ecstasy.
Red-flagging that schools and colleges are being targeted by drug traffickers, the minister also said that DRI needs to coordinate with the state police officials or state law enforcement agencies to make them understand the gravity of the situation. “That is the other side of action on which a lot more thought and discussion should happen. I see that today even if you're able to stop such nefarious activities, the end result on the ground takes its own traction, and that has to be expedited,” Sitharaman said.
The finance minister also highlighted three key imperatives for effective enforcement — investigations should be holistic, keeping the big picture in focus and not merely chasing isolated infractions. “Rules must be applied fairly, and consistently, and frauds must be caught swiftly,” she said.