The Ahmedabad City Crime Branch has intercepted and dismantled an alleged interstate criminal syndicate engaged in defrauding major e-commerce platforms such as Flipkart and Amazon, police officials said on February 8, 2026.
The gang operated a sophisticated scheme that infiltrated the supply chain by swapping high-value electronics with dummy products. The police revealed that the masterminds strategically placed associates as delivery personnel within courier services across Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, and Jalore.
Using multiple fake user IDs and passwords, the group placed orders for expensive gadgets. Before delivery to the customers, insider agents intercepted the shipments, opened the parcels with specialised tools, removed the original electronics, and replaced them with dummy items. The authentic products were then sold on the black market while the orders were cancelled or marked for return.
In this operation targeting the e-commerce racket, five individuals were arrested: Ramlal alias Romil Gahlot, Manoj Kumar Mali, Bharat Kumar Sundesha, Vishal Hasmukhbhai Panchal, and Vishal Kanjibhai Bavri. Two suspects, Rishipal Bhati and Vinod, remain at large.
Authorities recovered various items including eight authentic mobile phones, 25 dummy phones, three dummy earbuds, 12 dummy gaming processors, a camera lens, and an electric hair dryer.
During interrogation, the accused confessed to multiple successful heists over the past months. 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.
The police have invoked Sections 61(2)(a) and 316(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against the accused.
