'Need for specialised training to understand intricacies of smuggling, counterfeiting'

Chennai, May 31

Police is directly involved in stopping the circulation of illicit goods in the society, Additional Director General of Police, Tamil Nadu and Tamil Nadu Police Academy Director, Dr A. Amalraj, said on Tuesday.

Addressing the 'Capacity Building Programme for Police Officers on Prevention of Counterfeiting and Smuggling' organised by FICCI's Committee Against Smuggling and Counterfeiting Activities Destroying the Economy (CASCADE), Dr Amalraj, while highlighting the menace of illicit goods, said that such products are not only harmful for consumers but also incur huge losses for the government exchequer.

He also emphasised on the need for such training programmes, which not only sensitises the officers on the magnitude of the problem but also helps them to understand the intricacies of smuggling and counterfeiting.

While giving an overview on socio-economic impact of counterfeiting and smuggling, FICCI CASCADE Advisor and Delhi's former Special Commissioner of Police's Deep Chand said: "Capacity building in terms of skill, infrastructure and technology is essential for the law enforcement agencies in improving the detection and investigation mechanism of crimes relating to counterfeiting and smuggling."

Sharing data from a recent study by FICCI CASCADE, he said, in the FY 2018-19 Indian economy saw a loss of 1,17,253 crore and loss of 16.36 livelihood opportunities due to smuggling in five key sectors.

ITC Ltd's Vice President, Industry Affairs, Pradeep Dixit, said: "Proceeds from the sale of counterfeit, smuggled and contraband products contribute to the funding of criminal activities all across the globe. It is vital that industry and enforcement officers work in close collaboration to address this mounting hazard."

Amazon India's Senior Policy Manager, Customer Trust, Nitin Saluja discussed about Amazon's efforts in mitigating fraud and abuse on marketplaces that hamper customers trust and how Amazon, via its various initiatives, puts in enormous resources to deliver on its established tenets and to make its marketplace a reliable and safe platform for customers, brands, and sellers to conduct transactions.

"Amazon is committed to promoting and participating in the efforts for ensuring that the consumers are empowered to enjoy the benefits of online shopping while being protected from the risks, the digital era may present," he added.