Ahmedabad Crime Branch busted an interstate syndicate defrauding Flipkart and Amazon. The gang used insider delivery agents to swap expensive electronics with dummies, then sold the stolen goods. Five were arrested, and more suspects are at large.
The Ahmedabad City Crime Branch intercepted and neutralised an allegedly sophisticated interstate criminal syndicate that specialised in defrauding major e-commerce platforms such as Flipkart and Amazon, the police officials said on Saturday.
Modus Operandi of the Syndicate
According to the city's crime branch, the gang operated a sophisticated syndicate that successfully infiltrated the supply chain. The group swapped high-value electronics with dummy products to carry out the fraud.
Strategic Infiltration and Execution
The Ahmedabad Crime Branch, explaining the gang's tactics, revealed that the masterminds strategically placed associates as delivery boys within courier services across major cities, including Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, and Jalore. Utilising multiple fake user IDs and passwords, the gang would place orders for expensive gadgets. Before a package could reach the "customer," an insider delivery agent would intercept the shipment. Using specialised tools, the suspects carefully opened the parcels, removed the original high-end electronics, and replaced them with dummy lookalikes. Once the authentic product was secured, the order was officially cancelled or marked for return, allowing the gang to sell the stolen goods on the black market for pure profit, according to the police.
Arrests and Suspects
In an operation targeting a sophisticated e-commerce racket, the Ahmedabad Crime Branch arrested five individuals: Ramlal alias Romil Gahlot, Manoj Kumar Mali, Bharat Kumar Sundesha, Vishal Hasmukhbhai Panchal, and Vishal Kanjibhai Bavri. The police officials further added that two additional suspects, Rishipal Bhati and Vinod, remain at large.
Seized Items
During the crackdown, authorities recovered a wide range of items, including 8 authentic mobile phones, 25 dummy phones, 3 dummy earbuds, 12 dummy gaming processors, a camera lens, and an electric hair dryer. The Crime Branch also recovered other items, including 8 Authentic Mobile Phones, 25 Dummy Mobile Phones, 03 Dummy Earbuds, 12 Dummy Gaming Processors, 01 Camera Lens, and 01 Electric Hair Dryer.
Confessed Heists
During interrogation, the police said that the accused confessed to a series of successful heists carried out over the past few months. Their recorded crimes include the fraudulent acquisition of an iPhone 17 Pro Max and three iPhone 16 Pro units in Vadodara in January 2026, the theft of seven mobile phones and 10 Apple Watches in Surat in October 2025, and the theft of two Apple Watches in Jalore in December 2025.
Legal Action Taken
The police have officially invoked Sections 61(2)(a) and 316(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against the accused.
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