The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Chennai Branch Office has seized 804 grams of non-hallmarked gold jewellery during an enforcement search and seizure operation at a jewellery shop in Chennai.
The action was carried out under Section 28 of the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016, after the BIS team found non-hallmarked gold jewellery displayed for commercial sale.
Jewellery seized during search
The seized jewellery comprised 175 mangalsutras weighing 672 grams, 12 children’s bangles weighing 25 grams, 40 earrings weighing 86 grams and 10 pendants weighing 21 grams.
The BIS enforcement team found the jewellery in different designs and categories being offered for sale without the mandatory hallmarking. The articles have been seized and confiscated for detailed investigation and further legal proceedings.
BIS steps up market surveillance
The operation was conducted by officials and support staff of the BIS Chennai Branch Office with assistance from the local police.
BIS Chennai Branch Office Head S. D. Dayanand said the bureau regularly undertakes market surveillance and enforcement activities to ensure that products covered under mandatory BIS certification and hallmarking requirements comply with prescribed standards.
He said such enforcement actions are aimed at preventing the sale of substandard products, checking misuse of the BIS Standard Mark and Hallmark, and maintaining consumer confidence in the certification and hallmarking system.
Consumers can verify HUID
BIS said hallmarking provides an official indication of the purity or fineness of precious metal articles. Under the current hallmarking system, hallmarked gold jewellery carries the BIS logo, purity or fineness and a six-digit Hallmark Unique Identification (HUID) number.
Consumers can verify the HUID of hallmarked jewellery through the BIS CARE app. Appropriate legal action is being initiated against the concerned persons under the Act.