Amazon India Executives Booked Under NDPS Act In Madhya Pradesh In ‘Marijuana Smuggling’ Case

Madhya Pradesh police had arrested two men, with 20 kilograms of marijuana, who were found ordering the substance through Amazon India website under the guise of stevia leaves, a natural sweetener.

Senior Amazon Executives Booked Under NDPS Act In Madhya Pradesh Drugs Case | File Image

New Delhi: Senior executives at Amazon India were booked under narcotics law for allegedly smuggling marijuana through the online retail site by the Madhya Pradesh police, reported Reuters.

On November 14, the Madhya Pradesh police had arrested two men, with 20 kilograms of marijuana, who were found ordering the substance through the Amazon India website under the guise of stevia leaves, a natural sweetener. The two men were further smuggling the substance to other states. 

According to the statement by police in the report, executive directors of Amazon India were named as accused under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. The grounds for charges against the executives were differences in answers in documents provided by the online retailer company in response to police interrogation and facts disclosed during discussion. 

The police had previously summoned and talked to Amazon executives, estimated that around 1,000 kg of marijuana worth $148,000 was being traded via the Amazon India website.

As reported by PTI, the Superintendent of Police of Bhind, Manoj Kumar Singh in a statement said, “A case under section 38 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act was registered against executive directors of Amazon India which operates as ASSL in the country.”

Two residents of Gwalior, Suraj alias Kallu Pawaiya and Mukul Jaiswal formed a company named, ‘Babu Tex’ and registered it as a seller on the e-commerce website. A case was registered under the NDPS Act on November 13 following the seizure of 21.7 kgs of ganja from Pawaiya and another Gwalior resident Bijendra Tomar. 

Following interrogation of Pawaiya and Tomar led to the arrest of Jaiswal and purchaser Chitra Balmiki, informed the SP. 

The police had however not disclosed how many executives were booked under the narcotics law. 

In response, Amazon had said that it was investigating any non-compliance by any of their sellers.