Latest news with #Methamphetamine
The Print
a day ago
- Business
- The Print
Ensure better coordination with state agencies to nab masterminds: Sitharaman to DRI officers
Sitharaman also asked the DRI officers to investigate 'holistically' keeping the big picture in focus and not merely chase 'isolated infractions'. Stressing that narcotics has become the 'biggest threat' and schools and colleges are the 'first victims' of drug abuse, Sitharaman said it is to be stopped by the DRI and then coordinated with the state police. 'We need to have greater coordination and greater understanding of the size as well as scope of the threat,' she added. New Delhi, Jun 3 (PTI) Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday asked revenue intelligence officers to develop better coordination with state and central agencies and expeditiously work on 'actionable intelligence' to nab masterminds behind smuggling syndicates. '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 entire network and the syndicate, not just to intercept fragments,' Sitharaman told enforcement officers after inaugurating the new headquarters building of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI). She also said that 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. 'So, there is that area which I would still call as a grey area,' she said. Asking the DRI officers to go after masterminds of crime, she said 'no good if you catch the small fish… The bigger ones are the ones who are not being touched by many of our actions. We need to have the entire smuggling chain, entire nefarious operation chain, tracked and acted upon. It's not easy … but we should show some tangible results on it.' 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 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 said 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. Coordination with state law enforcing agencies is the grey area. 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. DRI is a 'bulwark' on India's national security apparatus, she said, adding that the agency should deeply integrate modern technology into the system, besides forging stronger international partnerships. Sitharaman also highlighted three key imperatives for effective enforcement and secondly, investigations should be holistic, keeping the big picture in focus, not merely chasing isolated infractions. She said rules must be applied fairly, and consistently, and frauds must be caught swiftly. 'Do not view enforcement and facilitation as opposing ends of the spectrum. Robust intelligence framework that detects fraud is essential, not just to catch wrongdoers, but to create a level-playing field for the honest trade,' she said. And lastly, enforcement operations should be rooted not only in data but also in 'Dharma'. Set up in 1957, DRI, under the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), is the 'key guardian' of the national economic frontier and is tasked with detecting smuggling, drug trafficking, illicit trade, and such threats. PTI JD CS HVA This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Mint
a day ago
- Politics
- Mint
Use tech tools to tackle threats from dark web, cross-border e-comm: Revenue Secy to DRI official
New Delhi, Jun 3 (PTI) Revenue intelligence officers should use advance technological tools to evaluate emerging threats from disguised supply chains, cross-border e-commerce, and dark web to strengthen their enforcement actions, Revenue Secretary Arvind Shrivastava said on Tuesday. Addressing the inauguration of the headquarters of the new Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) building, the Secretary said syndicates exploit opaque trade movements, making it imperative that enforcement in DRI remains one step ahead of concealment. "I would encourage DRI to dedicate resources for evaluating emerging threats from disguised supply chains, cross-border e-commerce, dark web, cryptocurrency misuse, synthetic drug movement, and misuse of digital platforms. DRI needs to move ahead with data-driven intelligence and use of advance technological tools. Innovation in enforcement must match innovation in crime," Shrivastava said. In the last year, DRI seized 1,382 kg of gold in numerous operations in which key members of syndicates have been arrested and networks busted. During 2024, DRI 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. As transnational syndicates use new methodologies and technology to bypass traditional control, he said, the role of DRI must evolve correspondingly in detection and disruption of such illicit trade and financial flow. "DRI's enforcement strategy needs to be supported by intelligence, which would entail strengthening information flows among Customs, GST, Income Tax, and other intelligence and enforcement agencies through well-structured data sharing framework," he said. The Secretary said economic offences are intrinsically linked to national security concerns. Drug trafficking, illicit wildlife trade, environmental crime, dual-use good smuggling and sanction evasion pose hybrid threats. "DRI must continue to build robust collaboration with overseas enforcement bodies through real-time intelligence exchanges, joint operations and mutual legal assistance frameworks," he added. Set up in 1957, DRI, under the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), is the "key guardian" of the national economic frontier and is tasked with detecting smuggling, drug trafficking, illicit trade, and such threats.
India Gazette
3 days ago
- India Gazette
Mizoram: DRI seizes Methamphetamine tablets worth 9.72 crores in Seling; one arrested
Aizawl (Mizoram) [India], June 1 (ANI): Continuing the fight against the drug menace, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Friday seized 9.72 kg of Methamphetamine tablets from a vehicle in Seling, Mizoram, on the Aizawl-Champhai Highway (NH-6) and arrested one person, according to the official statement from Ministry of Finance. The seized tablets have an estimated value of Rs. 9.72 crore in the international illicit drug market. The officials of DRI found 10 packets containing the contraband drug concealed ingeniously in a cavity/chamber on the rear seat. According to the official, the recovered contraband drug and the vehicle have been seized, and one person has been arrested under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. Preliminary investigation has revealed that the contraband drug was smuggled into Mizoram from Myanmar through the Zokhawthar sector of the Indo-Myanmar border. Since January 2025, DRI has seized over Rs. 72 crore worth of Methamphetamine and Heroin in Mizoram and has arrested seven persons. The NDPS Act prescribes stringent punishment to offenders, including rigorous imprisonment up to 10 years. Earlier on May 30, the Amritsar Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) recovered foreign currency amounting to USD 41,400, approximately Rs. 35.40 lakh, from a passenger at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport, Punjab, officials said. The passenger was intercepted on Thursday (May 29) while attempting to smuggle the currency on Air India Express Flight IX 191, travelling from Amritsar to Dubai. According to a press release, the foreign currency was cleverly concealed in another bag in the main check-in baggage. Upon preliminary examination, it was found that the seized currency was unaccounted for and far exceeded the permissible limits as per the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) guidelines. The currency was seized under the relevant provisions of the Customs Act, 1962. The initial investigation indicates that the accused was involved in the illegal smuggling of foreign currency for monetary gain. Further investigation is currently underway, the release said. (ANI)
Daily Express
6 days ago
- Daily Express
Repeat drug offender gets 5 years, 1 whip
Published on: Thursday, May 29, 2025 Published on: Thu, May 29, 2025 By: Mardinah Jikur Text Size: SANDAKAN: The Sandakan Sessions Court on Thursday sentenced a local man, Mazlee Abd Latif, 26, to five years in prison and one stroke of the cane after he pleaded guilty to a drug offence committed in March this year. Judge Zaini Fishir @ Fisal handed down the sentence after Mazlee tested positive for Amphetamine and Methamphetamine during a police narcotics operation. A pathology report from Duchess of Kent Hospital later confirmed the presence of both substances. Mazlee was charged under Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, punishable under Section 15 and read together with Section 39C(1)(b) of the same Act due to two prior convictions for similar offences in 2021 and 2023. Under Section 39C(1)(b), repeat offenders face a minimum of five years' imprisonment and up to three strokes of the cane, along with mandatory supervision under Section 38B(1) of the Act. Mazlee, who was unrepresented, was also ordered to be placed under police supervision for two years after completing his sentence. The prosecution was led by Deputy Public Prosecutor Muhammad Al-Hakim Abdul Razak. * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
DOCUMENTS: Rogersville man indicted for manslaughter, other charges in 2024 wreck that killed unborn child
LAUDERDALE COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) — A Rogersville man has been indicted on four counts for his role in a 2024 wreck that led to the death of an unborn baby, court documents say. Brian Scott Birdwell was indicted by a Lauderdale County Grand Jury on Tuesday for manslaughter, first-degree assault, unlawful possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia. Court documents say Birdwell recklessly caused the death of the unborn child of Alexandria Spielman after his vehicle crashed into hers while he was under the influence of controlled substances, per a toxicology report. Based on the blood examination, Birdwell had the following controlled substances in his body: 900 ng/mL of Methamphetamine 130 ng/mL of Amphetamine 6.9 ng/mL THC Birdwell also had another test done of his 'oral fluid,' according to the report. It shows that he had roughly 14 ng/mL of THC in his system. Prior to his indictment, Birdwell was arrested on August 10, 2024, and booked into the Lauderdale County Jail on a $31,000 bond, which he was released on that same day. Court documents show he has an arraignment set for September 4. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
