In news
Directorate of Revenue Intelligence celebrates its 63rd founding day on December 4
About the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI)
- It is an Indian intelligence agency.
- It is the country’s apex anti-smuggling intelligence, investigations and operations agency.
- It is headed by a Director General of the rank of Special Secretary to the Government of India.
Mandate
- DRI enforces provisions of the Customs Act in addition to over 50 other statutes including the NDPS Act, Arms Act, WMD Act etc.
- DRI is also a part of
- the Cabinet Secretariat’s National Authority Chemical Weapons Convention
- the Special Investigation Team on Black Money
- the Task Force on Shell Companies
- the Multi Agency Center (MAC) on National Security
- the Ministry of Home Affairs/NIA’s special wings on Left Wing Extremism Financing
- as well as various inter-ministerial committees on Terror Financing, Coastal Security, Fake Indian Currency Notes, etc.
Functions of DRI
- It is tasked with detecting and curbing smuggling of contraband, including drug trafficking and illicit international trade in wildlife and environmentally sensitive items
- It is also tasked with combating commercial frauds related to international trade and evasion of Customs duty.
- The Agency works to secure India’s national and economic security by preventing the outright smuggling of contraband such as firearms, gold, narcotics, Fake Indian Currency notes, antiques, wildlife and environmental products.
- Moreover, it also works to prevent the proliferation of black money, trade based money laundering and commercial frauds.
- DRI is the major intelligence agency which enforces the prohibition of the smuggling of items including drugs, gold, diamonds, electronics, foreign currency, and counterfeit Indian currency