CHENNAI: Officials of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) conducted raids at Amazon and Flipkart warehouses in Thiruvallur, seizing non-certified products violating quality control regulations.
At Amazon’s warehouse in IndoSpace A S Industrial Park Private Limited at Durainallur village in Ponneri taluk of Thiruvallur district, BIS officials discovered 3,376 uncertified products worth Rs 36 lakh, including insulated flasks, insulated food containers, metallic water bottles, ceiling fans, and toys.
These items, which require mandatory BIS certification, were being stored and sold without the BIS Standard Mark, violating Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016. A similar operation at Flipkart’s warehouse on Veppampattu Road, Koduvalli, Thiruvallur district, led to the seizure of 286 packs of baby diapers, 36 boxes of insulated hot pots, 26 stainless steel water bottles, and 10 insulated steel bottles – all lacking BIS certification. Both e-commerce firms were found in violation of quality control laws, posing potential risks to consumers.
BIS Chennai Branch Head G Bhavani confirmed that legal action would be taken under the BIS Act, 2016, which prescribes up to two years of imprisonment or a fine ranging from Rs 2 lakh to 10 times the product value for offenders. Consumers are urged to report fake ISI-marked products via the BIS Care App, email (cnbo1@bis.gov.in), or visit www.bis.gov.in to verify product certifications, a release stated.