Sun 21 November 2021:
In a case of alleged marijuana smuggling via Amazon.com, Indian police said on Saturday that they had charged senior executives of the online retailer’s local unit under narcotics laws.
On Nov. 14, police in central Madhya Pradesh caught two men with 20 kilograms of marijuana and discovered they were ordering and smuggling the drug under the guise of stevia leaves, a natural sweetener, to other Indian states through the Amazon India website.
“In view of similarities between the facts revealed in investigation and answers provided by Amazon via documents, the Executive Directors of Amazon India have been made the accused under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS),” the release added.
Executive directors of Amazon India have been charged as suspects under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, according to state police, due to inconsistencies in answers in papers submitted by the firm in response to police enquiries and facts discovered via conversation.
The number of executives charged was not disclosed by the police.
Recently, Madhya Pradesh Police had busted an alleged racket of the sale of marijuana through Amazon and arrested three accused, the police told ANI.
The authorities, who had previously summoned and met with Amazon executives in the investigation, estimate that nearly 1,000 kg of marijuana worth $148,000 was sold through Amazon.
The company had said, “Amazon operates a marketplace in India (amazon.in), which enables third-party sellers to display, list and offer for sale, products to end-customers directly. Amazon has a high bar on compliance and contractually our sellers are required to comply with all applicable laws for selling their products on amazon.in. We do not allow the listing and sale of products which are prohibited under law to be sold in India. However, in case sellers list such products, as an intermediary, we take strict action as may be required under the law, when the same is highlighted to us… We assure full co-operation and support required to Investigating Authorities and Law Enforcement agencies with ongoing investigations and ensure full compliance to applicable laws.”
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