If gold smuggling is going to hurt the economy, drugs hurt generations – Nirmala Sitharaman, Union Finance Minister

Picture : Twitter/ ANI

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman urged customs officers for greater alertness while dealing with drug smugglers. If gold smuggling is going to hurt the economy, drugs hurt generations, she said while addressing the Celebration function of the 60 years of Customs Act, 1962 organised by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC).

Sitharaman said that greater alertness is needed in the matter of drug smuggling. If gold smuggling is going to hurt the economy, drugs hurt generations.

“If there is undue delay happening in prosecution, CBIC should take into notice, the prosecution in drugs smuggling may be brought to a logical conclusion at the earliest,” she said.

The Finance Minister said that Customs officers have to be ready for newer technological challenges and should act as leaders to show the world how they have been able to overcome modern and newer challenges.

Sitharaman also exhorted Customs officers to write about Customs – challenges and how they have handled the same.

MoS Finance Pankaj Chaudhary traced the history of Customs to Kautilya’s Arthshastra, which mentioned charging Customs duty.

Chaudhary highlighted the role played by Turant Customs which is faceless, paperless and contactless, in the facilitation of trade. He hoped that the Customs officers would be in a position to check the smuggling and leakage of revenue harnessing the rapid advancement in technology.