The Kerala Gold and Silver Merchants Association (KGSMA) has formally requested the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) to investigate the manufacture and sale of counterfeit gold jewellery bearing fraudulent HUID hallmark stamps in the State. According to reports from The Hindu BusinessLine and NetDania News, the association has urged BIS to identify the source of the counterfeit ornaments and those responsible for misusing genuine HUID numbers, and to initiate legal proceedings against all individuals and organisations involved in the illegal activities.
The demand follows the recent detection of three counterfeit gold bangles carrying fraudulent HUID hallmark stamps at Thamarassery in Kozhikode. As reported by The Hindu BusinessLine and NetDania News, the ornaments had been accepted as pledged gold by a financial institution and were later found to be counterfeit during verification. S Abdul Nazar, General Secretary of KGSMA, confirmed that a detailed examination of the alphanumeric HUID numbers revealed that they corresponded to genuine hallmarked jewellery processed through a BIS-recognised hallmarking centre.
According to the association, the incident points to the possible existence of an organised criminal network involved in the manufacture and distribution of counterfeit gold jewellery carrying forged BIS HUID hallmark stamps. As reported by The Hindu BusinessLine and NetDania News, Nazar emphasized that such fraudulent activities not only deceive consumers and financial institutions but also tarnish the reputation of genuine jewellers and seriously undermine the credibility of the BIS Hallmarking Programme.
Stressing the need to protect consumers and legitimate jewellers, KGSMA has called for strengthening surveillance and verification mechanisms to safeguard the integrity of the BIS hallmarking system. According to reports from The Hindu BusinessLine and NetDania News, the association's demands come as part of broader efforts to ensure the authenticity and credibility of the hallmarking system in Kerala's gold jewellery market.
