4.4 lakh fake HP ink toners, cartridges seized in 2023; Mumbai leads in confiscations

New Delhi: Counterfeit HP products valued at approximately Rs 30 crores have been seized from November 2022 to October 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.

Sunish Raghavan, senior director of Printing Systems at 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. Collaborating with law enforcement agencies and ongoing awareness initiatives, we strive to combat counterfeiting, preserve customer trust, and uphold industry standards.”

Most counterfeit operations in Mumbai

The majority of these operations occurred in Mumbai, where over one lakh illicit items were confiscated.

Some notable ACF seizures with the help of local enforcement authorities include the seizure of 25,000 illicit items, including counterfeit cartridges and components in Mumbai, in February 2023; stopping large-scale manufacturing of counterfeit printing supplies for HP printers in Delhi and Mumbai in March 2023 along with seizure of 14,000 illicit items; and thwarting an operation assembling counterfeit ink and toner cartridges for HP printers in April 2023 in Kolkata along with the confiscation of 17,000 illicit items, such as ready-for-sale counterfeit cartridges.

Indian officials also dealt major blows against two operations involved in counterfeiting of printing supplies for HP printers and seized more than 9,000 illicit items in Mumbai in June/July 2023.

HP’s program to weed out counterfeit products

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.

In India, HP offers its free Customer Delivery Inspection (CDI) service, designed for corporate customers such as enterprises and public-sector institutions. If customers suspect counterfeits in a large or mid-sized printing supplies delivery, they can request a free inspection. In 2023 alone, HP conducted about 300 inspections for customers in India. Visit HP’s anti-counterfeiting website to get helpful guidance on how to avoid counterfeit cartridges.