Jalandhar, June 12 (IANS) Punjab Special Director General of Police (DGP) Amardeep Singh Rai on Friday said illicit trade has emerged as a complex challenge with far-reaching economic and social consequences.

Speaking at a session on ‘Tackling counterfeiting and smuggling: Strategies for effective enforcement’, organised by FICCI-CASCADE at the Police Academy in Phillaur, he said counterfeiting and smuggling not only undermined legitimate businesses and government revenues but also threatened consumer safety and fuelled illegal networks.

He stressed that tackling these challenges required robust enforcement, continuous capacity building and coordinated action among government agencies, law enforcement authorities and industry stakeholders.

Secretary (Jails) Mohammed Tayyab highlighted the importance of institutional preparedness in addressing economic offences. He said illicit trade networks were becoming increasingly sophisticated, and enforcement agencies must remain equipped with the knowledge, skills and tools required to effectively detect, investigate and prevent such crimes. He added that capacity-building initiatives played a vital role in strengthening this preparedness.

Additional Secretary (Home) Ankurjeet Singh said counterfeiting and smuggling had evolved beyond conventional economic crimes and were increasingly linked to organised criminal activities. He noted that effective enforcement today required a combination of intelligence-led policing, inter-agency cooperation and awareness of emerging trends in illicit trade. Strengthening the capabilities of frontline officers, he said, was critical to safeguarding the economy and protecting citizens from the harmful effects of counterfeit and smuggled goods.

Deep Chand, Advisor, FICCI-CASCADE and former Special Commissioner of Police, New Delhi, said illicit trade continued to inflict significant losses on legitimate businesses while creating serious challenges for law enforcement agencies.

He remarked that counterfeiting and smuggling distorted fair market competition, deprived governments of revenue and exposed consumers to unsafe products. He added that through sustained engagement with enforcement agencies and policymakers, FICCI-CASCADE was committed to strengthening awareness and building institutional capacity to address these challenges effectively.

FICCI-CASCADE has been working with government bodies, enforcement agencies, industry stakeholders and civil society to raise awareness about the adverse impact of illicit trade and strengthen enforcement capabilities across the country.

–IANS

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