Fake HP ink toners, cartridges worth close to Rs 30 crore seized in India

Counterfeit HP products

valued at approximately INR 30 crore have been

seized

during Nov 2022-Oct 2023 in India, according to the

HP

Anti-Counterfeiting and Fraud (ACF) report. In this period, law enforcement authorities in India with support from HP’s

Anti-Counterfeiting

initiatives have successfully removed nearly 4.4 lakh illicit items from the market. These items include several counterfeit toner and ink

cartridges

, preventing their circulation and potential sale to unsuspecting consumers. The majority of these operations occurred in Mumbai, where over one lakh illicit items were confiscated.
HP’s Anti-Counterfeiting and Fraud (ACF) Program is aimed at protecting markets and consumers from counterfeits of HP products, while also raising awareness about the scale and severity of the fraudulent printing supplies market in India.
While counterfeit ink and toner cartridges might look like HP originals, they are often of poor quality. They can come with many significant risks for end users, such as sub-standard printout quality, printer downtime and extra costs due to counterfeit cartridge leakage, and loss of money due to non-functioning counterfeit cartridges, among other things.
Authorities in India took decisive action against two operations trading in counterfeit printing supplies for HP printers, with major raids taking place in the space of just ten days in May 2023. Authorities removed over 45,000 illicit items from the markets. Many such actions were taken in Mumbai over the course of 12 months.

Sunish Raghavan, Senior Director, Printing Systems, HP India,said "We are committed to protecting our valued customers in India from counterfeit products through our Anti-Counterfeiting and Fraud Program. This initiative ensures that individuals receive authentic HP products, upholding quality standards and safeguarding consumer interests. Through initiatives like the Customer Delivery Inspection service, we empower customers to verify the authenticity of their printing supplies, instilling confidence and peace of mind. Collaborating with law enforcement agencies and ongoing awareness initiatives, we strive to combat counterfeiting, preserve customer trust, and uphold industry standards”.