Conference Overview

The ASIA Security Conference & Exhibition 2026 was held in Mumbai on 25‑26 August 2026 under the theme “Strengthening Enforcement, Empowering Innovation: India's Next Chapter in Brand Protection.” Senior representatives from Indian Customs, State Police, international intellectual‑property agencies and global brand owners convened to address the growing sophistication of cross‑border smuggling, digital distribution channels and regulatory arbitrage.

Key Speakers and Statements

  • Rodney Van Dooren, Director of Illicit Trade Prevention at Philip Morris International (PMI), delivered the keynote “Combatting Illicit Trade in India – Challenges, Solutions and The Road Ahead.” He estimated that India’s total illicit trade is worth $231.5 billion annually, making it the second‑largest illicit‑trade market among surveyed nations. In the tobacco segment, illicit cigarettes account for about 11.6 % of the global cigarette market, but in India they represent approximately 25 % of domestic sales, positioning the country as the fourth‑largest illicit cigarette market worldwide and causing an estimated annual revenue loss of ₹23,000 crore to the exchequer.
  • Prasanna Datar, IRS Additional Commissioner of Customs (Central Investigation Unit), highlighted the tactics used by syndicates to evade detection, stressing the need for training officers at minor ports and for right‑holders to engage proactively with the National Customs Targeting Centre (NCTC). He also called for heightened scrutiny at Free Trade Warehousing Zones (FTWZs) and Special Economic Zones (SEZs) where goods transition into Domestic Tariff Areas.
  • Swagat Patil, IPS Assistant Commissioner of Police, Cyber Crime, Delhi Police, emphasized the importance of following the complete operational trail, noting that counterfeit products are increasingly moved through encrypted platforms and small‑parcel systems. He urged authorities to “follow the money, follow the data, and trace the entire ecosystem.”
  • Nakano Hiroyuki, Senior Director (Intellectual Property Rights) at JETRO New Delhi, underscored that raw information becomes actionable intelligence only when it is structured across government agencies, online marketplaces and right‑holders.

Recent Enforcement Actions

Customs operations cited by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) include:

  • May 2026: A coordinated pan‑India bust seized nearly 300,000 e‑cigarettes and vapes valued at over ₹120 crore, misdeclared as furniture and metal chair parts across ports, airports and inland container depots in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi and West Bengal.
  • July 2025: Seizure of 10.14 million foreign‑origin cigarettes at Nhava Sheva port, valued at ₹13.18 crore, falsely declared as “coated calcium carbonate.”
  • December 2025: Interception of 45,984 e‑cigarettes at Tuticorin port, valued at ₹10.4 crore, concealed behind umbrellas.

Strategic Takeaways

The conference distilled four strategic priorities:

1. Intelligence‑Led Risk Profiling – Shift from random inspections to predictive algorithms, container scanning and advanced shipment‑data analytics.

2. Combating Regulatory Evasion – Enforce strict compliance with statutory warnings and packaging standards under frameworks such as COTPA and PECA to protect consumers and government revenues.

3. E‑Commerce & Digital Marketplace Accountability – Create direct feedback loops between digital platforms, local police and customs to identify repeat offenders.

4. Structured Capacity Building – Institute regular joint training programmes involving DRI, GST intelligence, State Police, Legal Metrology and health departments.

Organizer

The event is organized by ASIAS SECURITY GROUP SDN. BHD., which brings together brand owners, regulators, law‑enforcement agencies, policy‑makers and security‑solution providers to tackle anti‑counterfeiting, online brand protection, cross‑border product security, product smuggling and diversion.