In 2021-22, seizures of cocaine increased 3,479 per cent from 8.667 kg to 310.21 kg, an annual report produced by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence said on Monday. In 2019-20, the seizure was 1.108 kg.
Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday said cocaine has started coming into India and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence needs to figure out if the country is becoming a consuming country.
In order to evade the high rate of tax and cess levied on cigarettes and tobacco products as also to avoid printing of the pictorial and textual warnings, illegal means of importation of cigarettes and tobacco products is resorted to, to meet the demand in the market and rake in exorbitant p