India, June 13 -- Illicit trade is a complex challenge with far-reaching economic and social consequences, said Amardeep Singh Rai, Special Director General of Police, Punjab, while addressing a capacity building programme for police officers on 'Tackling Counterfeiting and Smuggling: Strategies for Effective Enforcement' on Thursday.

"Counterfeiting and smuggling not only undermine legitimate businesses and government revenues but also threaten consumer safety and fuel illegal networks. Tackling these challenges requires robust enforcement, continuous capacity building and coordinated action among government agencies, law enforcement authorities and industry stakeholders," Rai said.

The programme, organised by FICCI-CASCADE, brought to...