Delhi Narcotics Bust: FIR Filed On Flipkart’s Complaint Against Counterfeit Packaging

Ecommerce major Flipkart filed a police complaint at the Shaheen Bagh Police Station in New Delhi on Saturday after a drug bust in the area led to recovery of narcotics worth INR 100 Cr, packed in Flipkart branded packaging.

Inc42 has seen a copy of the complaint filed by Flipkart.

The FIR has been filed under Section 419, Section 420, Section 476, Section 482, Section 487 and Section 511 of the Indian Penal Code, read with Section 18, Section 20 to 25, and Section 27A of the NDPS Act, Section 103 of the Trademarks Act, and Section 63 of the Copyright Act.

The NCB Delhi Unit on Thursday busted an Indo-Afghan drug syndicate. It recovered 50 kilograms of heroin worth over INR 100 Cr from a residential flat in southeast Delhi’s Jamia Nagar, Shaheen Bagh, making it one of the largest drug busts in recent times in the national capital. 

According to media reports, the seized drugs were kept in backpacks and jute bags, and were packed in Flipkart and other ecommerce companies’ branded packaging.

Flipkart supplies its branded packaging through its own portal. The portal is only available to the registered sellers for purchasing original packaging. However, a registered seller on Flipkart told Inc42 that bootlegged packaging is also widely available.

The complaint said, “Flipkart was shocked to learn from news reports that such unknown accused persons had/have stored the seized narcotic substances in packages by counterfeiting Flipkart’s trademark, logo, and copyright.”

Flipkart said that the accused persons ‘intentionally acted with dishonesty and fraud’, adding it has reasons to believe that there is more counterfeit packaging out in the market, which is being used for illicit activities.

“Such misconduct of the unknown accused persons is highly detrimental to the larger societal interest and severely punishable under the abovementioned sections of the NDPS Act,” the ecommerce giant said. 

Notably, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) had called for an investigation into Flipkart after reports came out on Thursday about the narcotics drugs syndicate being busted. 

The CAIT wrote a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, seeking action on Flipkart. 

“It is also to be noted that the seized heroin and other articles appeared in Flipkart packaging as per photos and videos available on media pertaining to this seizure by the NCB. Therefore, we urge your good self to direct NCB to investigate the role and participation of Flipkart in the transaction and delivery of heroin and other contraband drugs,” the letter read.

This is not the first time that an ecommerce major has been caught up in an incident involving narcotics. Last year, the Madhya Pradesh Police registered a case against executives of Amazon under the NDPS Act after uncovering a trail of marijuana sales on Amazon India platform.