Amazon executives in India were charged after two men allegedly used the site as part of a marijuana smuggling operation.
Last week in Madhya Pradesh state, police arrested two men suspected of smuggling 20kg of drugs into another Indian state. According to police, the men traded marijuana on the website under the pretext of selling stevia leaves, a natural sweetener.
Amazon said it had shared the information with law enforcement officials. Amazon will not tolerate any wrongdoing and will take strong action against individuals or third parties. Who violate our policies or applicable laws,” the company said.
He said he had banned the listing and sale of illegal products and had taken strict action against sellers who violated his illicit goods rules.
The State Police said Amazon India executives had been charged under the Drugs and Psychotropics Act.
This was due to “different responses to documents the company provided in response to police inquiries and facts discovered during discussions,” the police statement said. Authorities did not say how many executives were charged.
A total of 1,000 kilograms of marijuana, worth about $148,000 (£110,000), was reportedly sold through the website. The case is the latest legal issue facing Amazon India’s business, which faces a competition investigation in the country.
Amazon India and Flipkart, a subsidiary of US retail giant Walmart. Are being investigated by regulators for allegedly giving preferential treatment to some sellers. Amazon also reportedly opened an internal investigation in September. After it was alleged that one or more of its Indian employees had bribed employees.
In recent years, Indian authorities have stepped up efforts to curb drug trafficking and use. Drug officials have monitored many of the country’s top actors and television personalities over the past year.
Last month, Arian Khan, the 23-year-old son of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan. Was arrested on suspicion of using drugs for party entertainment. The case became the center of intense media coverage in India. He denied the accusations leveled against him.