DRI Full Form

From the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), the officers are the Directorate. They are stationed in the CBIC’s several Zonal Units and Indian embassies worldwide as part of the Customs Overseas Intelligence Network. 

The Director-General is in charge of the organization based in New Delhi, India. DRI’s current Director-General is Sh. Alok Tewari.

History

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) was founded in 1950 to combat customs and excise violations.. It was established to deal with all concerns relating to anti-smuggling and anti-corruption in the Customs and Central Excise agencies across India. 

It was a minor section within the Directorate of Inspection (Customs and Central Excise), New Delhi, with an Assistant Collector and two Superintendents reporting directly to the Central Board of Revenue.

As a result, a glorious chapter in the country’s struggle against economic crimes started. The DRI was at the vanguard of the fight against smuggling and duty evasion. The DRI ‘s charter covered all parts of customs, central excise, and narcotics activity that needed the Centre’s oversight, guidance, and investigation. Following that, specific agencies to deal with central excise and narcotics infractions were established, with the DRI focusing on customs offences. Officials from the Customs Department manned and led the organization, with officers from other services arriving on deputation on occasion. As a result, the DRI has always been and continues to be a Customs department agency operating under the auspices of the Central Board of Excise & Customs (CBEC), as it was named at the time and, as it is currently called, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC).

Function

• It is led by a Special Secretary to the Government of India as Director-General. Its original mission was to prevent gold smuggling, but it now combats drugs and economic crimes. 
• DRI has captured around 550 kg of heroin, 7,410 kg of ephedrine, and other narcotics and psychiatric drugs in the previous 4-5 years. 
• The Agency seeks to ensure India’s national and economic security by preventing the blatant smuggling of contraband like weapons, gold, drugs, Fake Indian Currency notes, antiquities, wildlife, and environmental products. It also strives to prevent the spread of illegal money, money laundering through commerce, and commercial fraud.
• It is organized into seven zones, each with an additional director general (Commissioner Rank). Along with the Additional Directors, Joint Directors, Deputy Directors, Assistant Directors, Senior Intelligence Officers, and Intelligence Officers, it is further subdivided into Regional Units, Sub-Regional Units, and Intelligence Cells.
• Establish anti-smuggling relationships with other governments, Indian embassies, and law enforcement authorities.
• To maintain contact with the CBI and INTERPOL.

DRI has built a massive intelligence collecting network using classic human intelligence resources and contemporary methods. Central Excise and Customs personnel lead the organization, and it employs significantly fewer people than other intelligence organizations like RAW and IB

Charter of the DRI

• If necessary, work from intelligence by the Directorate’s personnel to a successful conclusion.
• Keep an eye on necessary seizure and investigation cases.
• Associating or taking over all investigations that require specialized attention from the Directorate.
• Involved in significant prosecutions or investigations.
• Maintain contact with foreign governments, Indian embassies, and law enforcement agencies on anti-smuggling matters.
• To report cases filed under the Customs Act to the Income Tax Department to take the necessary action under the Income Tax Act.
• To keep track of seizures, prices, and rates, among other things. to keep track of smuggling trends and provide the relevant information to the Ministry of Finance and other departments
• To investigate legislation flaws and anti-smuggling processes and make recommendations for fixes.
• Maintain anti-smuggling cooperation with other countries, Indian embassies, and law enforcement agencies.
• As proposed by the ESCAP conference, it serves as a liaison authority for the sharing or exchanging information among ESCAP states to combat international smuggling and customs fraud.
• To keep in touch with the CBI and, via them, INTERPOL.
• Anti-smuggling operations on the Indo-Nepal border are coordinated, directed, and controlled.

Policy on Rewards

According to CBIC standards, DRI pays ex-gratia payments to informants who provide information that leads to the seizure or recovery of government debts. Informers and government employees are eligible for rewards of up to 20% of the net sale proceeds of contraband goods seized (except substances taken under the NDPS Act and gold for which different rates have been notified) and the amount of duty evaded plus the number of fines and penalties levied/imposed and recovered, according to current policy.

Conclusion

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) was founded in 1950 to combat customs and excise violations. The DRI ‘s charter included all aspects of customs, excise, and drugs activities that required the Centre’s monitoring, direction, and investigation. As a result, the DRI has always been and will continue to be a Customs department agency that reports to the Central Board of Excise and Customs. 

Its mission is to keep track of seizures, prices, and rates, among other things. To provide relevant information to the Ministry of Finance and other departments. It also serves as a liaison authority for the sharing or exchanging of information among ESCAP states to combat international smuggling.