West Bengal Gears Up to Tackle Illicit Trade: Minister Biplab Mitra Calls for Stronger Enforcement Collaboration
November 13, 2025
The programme focuses on empowering enforcement and policy dialogue to counter smuggling and counterfeiting in West Bengal
KOLKATA, 13th November 2025: Mr Biplab Mitra, Minister-in-Charge, Consumer Affairs Department, Government of West Bengal, today said, “Counterfeiting and smuggling not only harm legitimate businesses but also exploit consumers by exposing them to unsafe and substandard products. Protecting consumer rights is central to building a fair and transparent marketplace, and this requires a united effort from government agencies, industry, and civil society. Awareness and vigilance are our strongest tools in ensuring that consumers are not victims of illicit trade.”
Addressing the FICCI-CASCADE’s seminar on ‘Strengthening Security: Strategies to Combat Counterfeiting and Smuggling’, Mr Mitra emphasized government of West Bengal’s strong commitment to safeguarding consumer interests through coordinated efforts with law enforcement, industry stakeholders, and the community. The state, he noted, is leveraging technology and intelligence-based surveillance to detect and deter illicit activities, particularly along border and coastal areas.
Mr Mitra further commended FICCI CASCADE for its continued efforts in empowering consumers and fostering collaboration to combat the threats posed by counterfeit and smuggled goods.
Mr Trithankar Halder, Special Secretary, Consumer Affairs Department, Government of West Bengal, while addressing the seminar reiterated the state’s commitment to ensuring consumer protection and strengthening enforcement coordination to curb illicit trade in the region.
Ms Sonali Ghosal, Co-Chair, FICCI West Bengal State Council and Managing Director, Nightingale Group of Companies, said, “Illicit activities in terms of counterfeiting and smuggling are not merely regulatory or legal infractions, they represent deep structural challenges to our manufacturing ecosystems, undermine the rule of law, and divert the benefits of economic development away from legitimate stakeholders.”
Echoing the sentiment, Mr P.C. Jha, Advisor, FICCI CASCADE and Former Chairman, CBIC, added, “Illicit trade directly undermines India’s tax system and deprives the government of critical revenue needed for nation-building. Counterfeiting and smuggling distort fair competition, erode the tax base, and weaken the formal economy. As India moves towards a $5 trillion GDP, it is essential to tighten compliance, strengthen GST mechanisms, and curb these revenue leakages. A coordinated effort between tax authorities, enforcement agencies, and the industry is key to protecting both consumers and the exchequer.”
Mr K. Ramakrishnan, Additional Director General, Kolkata Zonal Unit, DRI, said, “Combating counterfeiting and smuggling is central to DRI’s mission of protecting India’s economic security. These illicit activities not only drain government revenues but also distort legitimate trade and endanger consumer safety. Through intelligence-driven enforcement and coordinated action, DRI remains committed to dismantling organized smuggling networks and intercepting counterfeit goods, while fostering greater collaboration and public awareness to safeguard the integrity of India’s markets.”
Mr Vidit Raj Bhundesh, Deputy Commissioner (Detective Department), Kolkata Police, said, “The growing menace of counterfeiting and smuggling poses a serious threat not only to our economy but also to public safety and national security. The police play a crucial frontline role in detecting, investigating, and dismantling these illicit networks that often operate across states and borders. Strengthening intelligence sharing, enhancing inter-agency coordination, and building specialized capacities within law enforcement are key to effectively tackle this challenge.”
Other key speakers included Mr Deep Chand, Advisor, FICCI CASCADE and Former Special Commissioner of Police; Mr Harsh V. Agarwal, Executive Director, Oriplast and Member, FICCI; Mr Ashish Paul, Vice President- Corporate Affairs, ITC Ltd; Mr Sandeep Sengupta, Director, Indian School of Ethical Hacking (ISOEH) and Mr Supriyo Ghosh, Partner, Girish Chandra Ghosh & G.G.S.
FICCI CASCADE also organised a Capacity Building Programme for Police Officers on 12th November focused on ‘Prevention of Counterfeiting and Smuggling’.
The capacity building programme brought together senior police officials and industry representatives to discuss on-ground enforcement challenges, share case experiences, and explore joint strategies to strengthen anti-smuggling and anti-counterfeiting operations. The programme aimed to enhance the investigative skills of officers and build stronger collaboration between law enforcement and industry in confronting such economic offences.
Addressing the FICCI CASCADE’s Programme on Prevention of Counterfeiting and Smuggling and highlighting the importance of law enforcement’s role in society, Mr Amit Verma, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Kolkata, emphasized that these illicit activities deprive legitimate businesses of their fair share and endanger the very fabric of our society.
He commended the initiative for facilitating such a meaningful discussion and appreciated FICCI CASCADE’s efforts in raising public awareness on this critical issue. Shri Verma further stated that to realize our national vision, it is imperative that we work collectively to combat this menace and strengthen our economy against its corrosive impact.
The discussions centred around evolving threats from organised illicit networks and the importance of adopting technology-driven intelligence, public awareness, and legislative reforms to combat counterfeiting and smuggling.
As per the report by FICCI CASCADE titled “Challenging Landscape of Illicit Trade: How Changing Factors of Consumption Affect Illicit Markets in 5 Key Industries in India”, the size of illicit market in the five key sectors- FMCG packaged goods, personal and household care, alcohol, tobacco, and textiles & apparel has been estimated at about Rs. 7.97 lakh crore. The report highlights that the illicit market size for textiles and apparel stands at Rs 4,03,915 crore, accounting for over 50 percent of the total illicit trade. Additionally, illicit markets for - FMCG (Packaged foods) and FMCG (Personal and Household Care Goods are estimated at Rs 2,23,875 crore and Rs 73,813 crore, respectively.
The report highlighted that illicit trade is undermining legitimate businesses, distorting market competition, and significantly reducing the government’s tax revenues in the five mentioned sectors. The impact of illicit trade is particularly severe in industries historically subjected to higher tax regimes, such as tobacco and alcohol. In the tobacco sector, over 50 percent of the illicit market can be attributed to punitive taxes, while for alcohol, this figure stands at 46 percent.
Both programmes witnessed enthusiastic participation from stakeholders across the state, reflecting a shared commitment to addressing the adverse impacts of counterfeiting and smuggling.