Justice Sanjay Karol, Judge, Supreme Court of India, on Thursday highlighted the debilitating impact smuggling and counterfeiting have on the nation’s economic and social aspects.

Delivering the valedictory address on Day-2 of 10th edition of ‘MASCRADE’, organised by FICCI-CASCADE, Justice Karol said, “Smuggling and counterfeiting continue to jeopardise economic stability, social security and integrity of the nation.

Smuggling and counterfeiting often lurk undetected amidst a host of other economic and social problems but continue to erode substantial portions of legitimate businesses, resulting in substantial economic and social damages.”

Justice Karol emphasized that the use of technology is essential to combat the menace and highlighted the importance of robust inter-state collaborations. “Utilizing QR codes will help safeguard consumers and address the issues of smuggling and counterfeiting. Social media intermediaries also play a crucial role in this fight.

We must strengthen our inter-state collaborations, and I am pleased to note that over the past ten years, these collaborations have been solidified at the international level,” he stated. Justice Navin Chawla, Judge, Delhi High Court, said, “Smuggling and counterfeiting affect the day-to-day lives of citizens in various ways. These activities constitute a $2 trillion shadow economy, resulting in significant economic losses for the nation.

This menace needs to be addressed uniformly by the legislature, judiciary, and executive. I assure you that all three branches are doing everything possible to combat this issue.”

Justice Chawla added that consumers need to be aware that buying illicit products may result in short-term gain but is a long-term loss for them as well as the nation. Dr Anju Rathi Rana, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Law and Justice, Govt of India, said,

“Illicit trade encompasses a wide range of activities like drug trafficking, smuggling, counterfeiting and human trafficking.

According to UN, these activities account for 5 per cent of global GDP, which is an alarming figure and calls for immediate action. In order to combat illicit trade, India has to adopt a comprehensive set of strategies.

These strategies should primarily focus on fostering public awareness and implementing joint task forces for coordinated action against perpetrators of illicit trade.”