BIS Cracks Down: ₹3 Crore Non-Hallmarked Gold Seized in Vijayawada

People often buy gold ornaments with their hard-earned savings , trusting their purity and authenticity . However, whether the jewellery purchased is genuine has now become a serious concern . A recent incident in Vijayawada has highlighted this issue.

Officials of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) conducted extensive inspections at a prominent jewellery store in Governorpet following information that gold ornaments were being sold without mandatory hallmarking . During the raids, officials seized 233 gold ornaments weighing around 2.2 kilograms that lacked BIS hallmark certification . The seized jewellery is estimated to be worth over ₹3 crore at current market prices .

Officials noted that the ornaments did not carry the mandatory Hallmark Unique Identification Number (HUID) , which is a direct violation of the BIS Act, 2016 . They stated that selling non-hallmarked jewellery is a punishable offence and warned that even a first-time violation could attract up to one year of imprisonment or a minimum fine of ₹1 lakh . The action, they said, was taken to safeguard consumer interests .

Emphasising that hallmarking guarantees the purity of gold , BIS officials warned that traders who ignore the rules may gain short-term profits but risk long-term financial losses and damage to their reputation . Consumers were advised to remain vigilant and verify hallmark details through the ‘BIS Care App’ before purchasing jewellery. Officials made it clear that there would be no compromise in enforcing regulations and that inspections would be intensified across the state in the coming days.