Need to instill fear of harsh penalties in minds of illicit traders: MoS

Minister of State for Food Processing Industries Ravneet Singh Bittu on Wednesday stressed the need for harsh penalties and cracking down heavily on the nexus of people engaged in illicit trade and activities.

Addressing the 10th edition of FICCI-CASCADE's - MASCRADE 2024', Bittu said that coordination between various enforcement agencies is key to overcoming the battle against the nefarious elements ruining economic growth.

"Together, we build resilient economies, fostering global collaboration to combat these threats with robust initiatives...punishment is necessary, and it is important to instill fear in the minds of perpetrators that harsh penalties are in store for them if they engage in illicit trade activities, he added.

Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) member Rajiv Talwar said the board is serving as the fulcrum in the movement against counterfeit goods and smuggling.

"We have built a technology-driven risk management portal with very wide capabilities tha