A shocking gold adulteration scandal has surfaced in Jaipur, exposing how “100% pure” foreign-brand gold biscuits are being secretly mixed with iridium and sold across the city. A joint investigation by Dainik Bhaskar and the Sarafa Committee has revealed that nearly 50% of tested gold biscuits were impure, putting jewellers and investors at massive financial risk.
Foreign Brand Names Used for Fraud
Gold biscuits stamped with top international brands like UBS (Switzerland) were found to contain only 96–98% gold, instead of guaranteed 99.99% purity. The iridium mixing is so advanced that even hallmarking machines fail to detect the fraud, making the scam extremely dangerous for buyers.
How the Scam Was Caught
Sarafa traders in Jaipur, Johri Bazaar, and other markets became suspicious when purity levels fluctuated during testing.
After random checks on 100g biscuits:
●5 out of 10 failed purity tests
●Purity dropped from 99.99% to as low as 96%
●Loss per 100g biscuit estimated at ₹36,000
Traders immediately filed a complaint with the police, calling it a major economic fraud.
Why Iridium Mixing is a Big Danger
Iridium, a grey metal, blends easily with gold and nearly escapes detection even through hallmarking.
Only advanced spectroscopy tests revealed the contamination.
How the Fake Biscuits Are Being Distributed
According to traders, these impure gold biscuits are:
●Brought from outside Rajasthan
●Marketed using foreign brand names
●Circulated through local channels at slightly lower rates
●Sold to unsuspecting small jewellers and investors
This widespread mixing has the potential to shake up Rajasthan’s bullion market.
Huge Losses for Buyers
Anyone purchasing a 100-gram gold biscuit believing it’s 24-carat pure gold is suffering losses:
Up to Rs 36,000 per 100g biscuit
Purity loss = direct monetary loss
Traders warn buyers to avoid unverified dealers and always demand proper certification from BIS-recognized centres.
Sarafa Committee Issues Warning
The Jaipur Sarafa Committee has urged all jewellers to:
●Re-test previously bought foreign-brand biscuits
●Avoid suspiciously cheap offers
●Purchase only from verified distributors
●Educate customers about purity risks
The committee has also asked authorities to tighten checks on interstate bullion transport.
