'No good if you catch small fry': FM Sitharaman tells DRI to go after masterminds, take cases to logical end

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday told Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officers to go after masterminds behind smuggling syndicates rather than settling for low-level operatives and that take the cases to the logical end.

"The goal must be to dismantle entire network and the syndicate not just to intercept fragments. I think this is one line which I've repeated in every one of my address to CBIC. No good if you catch small fish of fry. The bigger ones are the ones who are there not being touched by many of our actions," she said while speaking at the inauguration of the DRI's new headquarters in New Delhi.

"We need to have the entire value chain as they would call, entire smuggling chain, entire nefarious operations chain tracked and acted upon. It's not easy. I know and I wouldn't mind repeating it any number of times but we should show some tangible results on it,” the finance minister said.

Sitharaman said that while there have been examples of "absolutely stunning smuggling activities being stopped because of bright intelligence", the follow-through has often been lacking. "I persuaded myself to keep following on one or two of these cases. I'm still waiting to find if you've taken it to a logical conclusion. You need to take it to the logical conclusion — one to get them punished, two to find who the mastermind is. On both ends I am pursuing on cases but I would want results to be seen," she added.

She called on DRI officers to move from a reactive approach to one rooted in foresight, insight, and principle. "Enforcement operation should be rooted not only in data but also in dharma. Actions must be unyielding but also just. Because when smuggling is stopped and fraud is exposed, judiciously acted upon as well—it helps move from a fear-driven compliance to a value and trust-based compliance environment and that is why this is very important for us to follow,” she said.

Sitharaman said narcotics are penetrating every state and even small towns, making it vital for central agencies to act with urgency and coordination. She flagged a significant enforcement gap: "Coordination with state law enforcing agencies is the grey area I see today." She said intelligence must lead to actionable results on the ground and called for faster follow-through on cases.

Calling for greater alertness and actionable intelligence, the finance minister urged DRI officials to pursue cases holistically. "Investigate holistically keeping the big picture in focus, not merely to chase isolated infractions. 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," she said.

The finance minister asked the DRI to work in a "more meaningful way" with other agencies to sift through large volumes of data and intelligence: "It is important for agencies to be smart enough to see which data has got to be actionable and which has to be immediately taken up." She also warned that schools and colleges are being targeted by narcotics networks and said DRI must work closely with state police to address this "gravity of the situation."

Sitharaman also laid out three enforcement principles — fair application of rules, consistent action, and swift detection of fraud — and stressed that intelligence-led enforcement is vital not only for punishing wrongdoers but also for protecting honest trade. "In order to be effective enforcement agencies, all officers must embrace three key imperatives: Do not view enforcement and facilitation as opposing ends of the spectrum; Investigate holistically, keeping the big picture in focus, not merely chasing isolated infractions; Enforcement operations should be rooted not only in Data but also in Dharma," she said.