“Among the material seized were multiple cryptocurrency wallets, hard disks with incriminating documents and a hardware wallet containing USDT cryptocurrency valued at Rs 70 lakh,” the official said. In a significant crackdown against darknet-enabled narcotics trade, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has busted India’s top-ranked darknet drug vendor operating under the alias “Ketamelon”. “Ketamelon” had established a widespread network, shipping LSD to major cities including Bangalore, Chennai, Bhopal, Patna, Delhi, and regions in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Over the last 14 months, 600 shipments were reportedly shipped by Ketamelon. The estimated street value of the seized drugs is approximately ₹35.12 lakhs, with LSD blots priced at ₹2,500–₹4,000 each.
This arrest not only exposes the intricate methods utilized by cybercriminals but also highlights the evolving capabilities of global police forces to adapt and respond to these digital-age challenges. BidenCash is another latest marketplace that started in 2022, and is now home to sensitive financial data transactions. This is where cybercriminals go to buy and sell things like stolen credit card numbers, personally identifiable information (PII), and even SSH login details. One thing that distinguishes BidenCash on the dark web, however, is how it markets itself. Foreign vendors used this rating for authentication and supply, and India-based web platform Dark Net Market to sell or buy drugs and to locate suppliers and buyers, said NCB. In 2023, the NCB had busted the then biggest darknet based LSD cartel named ‘Zambada’, seized 29,013 blots of LSD, 472 gm MDMA, and ₹51.38 lakh in cash, and arrested 14 persons.
LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide), commonly known as acid or blots, is a powerful hallucinogen that distorts perceptions of time, space, and senses. Users often report “hearing” colors or “seeing” sounds due to their intense psychological effects. Cybercriminals go on dark web marketplaces to buy and sell illicit goods and services. They engage in financial crime and sell other people’s stolen personal information, since they’re under the veil of anonymity. Still, even with these crackdowns and better defenses, dark web markets just keep coming back.
Russian Market
A total of 14,961 blots were seized as part of the about two-week long operation and the blots are of “gammagoblin and holy spirit of asura” brand, Singh said. “Due to intensified vigilance and improved coordination, drug seizures have exponentially increased in India in the last few years,” the home minister said on Twitter. The NCB said it is working to unearth the third such known LSD cartel operating in the country. As part of the two earlier busts, it has registered a total of six cases in Delhi under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) leading to the arrest of 22 Indians till now. Garcia, according to the NCB, declared on the darknet after this interdiction in India that he was safe and will never be caught.
NCB Busts Top Darknet-based Drug Vendor; Seizes Drugs And Cryptocurrency
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These days, it lists over 11,600 illegal items, including hard drugs, hacking tools, and all kinds of cybercrime services. It also runs on the Tor network, which helps keep things anonymous. The dark web itself is not illegal, but it’s largely connected with unscrupulous and illegal operations. That’s why it has such a foreboding and even dangerous reputation.
- It exposes the vulnerabilities in existing postal monitoring, the challenge of policing privacy-focused cryptocurrencies, and the increasing technical sophistication of domestic drug traffickers.
- In September 2022, the Hyderabad police had arrested eight people, following which the name of “Zambada” cartel had come up.
- Apart from the LSD blots, 2.32 kgs of ganja and Rs 4.65 lakh cash have been seized while bank deposits worth Rs 20 lakh have been frozen, the deputy DG said.
- Although these marketplaces are continuously shut down by law enforcement agencies, they still work today.
Free Access To E-paper And WhatsApp
Authorities seized substantial amounts of drugs and cryptocurrency, revealing the sophistication of digital drug dealing and the challenges in combating it. Beyond its immediate implications on crime and law enforcement, this incident poses important questions for cryptocurrency regulation and the ongoing debate around privacy. While digital privacy is a right deserving strong protection, its potential misuse to shield illegal activity presents a formidable challenge.
Cypher Marketplace
Others are looking for stolen data, hacking services, or even banned books and political content. For sellers, it’s often about making money while staying off the radar. By supplying stolen data, these dark web links fuel many online scams and identity theft operations, playing a critical role in the darker aspects of the internet. Despite growing crackdowns from law enforcement agencies, the dark web remains a hotbed of criminal activity, offering everything from drugs to stolen data.
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It’s where international drug deals, arms sales, and illicit services are routinely brokered away from the prying eyes of law enforcement. Yet, until recently, most large-scale darknet drug operations in India were believed to be the domain of organized criminal syndicates or foreign cartels. Darknet or dark web marketplaces are a hidden part of the internet that surface web users can’t access; they can only be accessed with special anonymity software called Tor. Many people (mostly criminals) use these sites to perform illegal transactions such as selling banned goods and services.
The aim was to develop an encrypted communication network for intelligence operatives. This initiative evolved into the Tor network, now used globally—for both legitimate and illegal activities. The estimated street value of the seized drugs is about Rs 35.12 lakh with LSD blots being priced in a range of Rs 2,500-Rs 4,000 each, as per the statement. Some custodial wallets on crypto platforms like Binance have been identified for further investigation, it said.
NCB Busts India’s Largest Darknet-based LSD Smuggling Syndicate
It’s a market for fake documents, hacking software, and financial fraud services. WeTheNorth has a strong community vibe, with an active forum where users interact and share updates. Of course, not all the popular and widely-used dark web sites and things like marketplaces on the dark net are illegal.
India’s Taxation Of Cryptoc
Known for its publicity stunt releasing millions of stolen card details for free, BidenCash specializes in credit card fraud and identity theft. Launched in 2020, Cypher Marketplace sells fraudulent documents, stolen credit cards, fake IDs, and malware. Its emphasis on user anonymity and document forgery makes it a core tool for identity fraud.
If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle. The agency noted that while Kerala typically sees fewer than 1,000 LSD blots seized annually, Edison was allegedly distributing around 10,000 LSD blots across the country each month.
There is no need to visit darknet marketplaces yourself to know whether your data was leaked. If you think the Dark web marketplaces are just online shops, you’re wrong — these sites are the actual weapon stores for criminals. They provide criminals with access to everything they need, from launching attacks to stealing data, etc. Ulbricht faced several serious charges, including distributing illegal drugs, running a criminal enterprise, hacking, trafficking fake IDs, and money laundering. In the end, he was sentenced to life in prison for running one of the largest and most scandalous dark web cases in history. The anonymity and lack of rules that define darknet marketplaces are exactly what make them breeding grounds for fraudulent activities.
