The Vienna-headquartered International Narcotcis Control Board (INCB) has published its annual report for 2021 putting spotlight on the South Asian and the Indian drugs scenario under the topic ‘analysing of the world situation’. The operation was carried out by the Amritsar Commissionerate Police in close coordination with the Border Security Force (BSF) and Rajasthan Police. According to police, the consignment was linked to a Pakistan-based smuggler, Tanveer Shah, and a Canada-based handler, Joban Kaler.
Explicit And Illegal Content
For these reasons, most of these stores naturally like the dark web due to its protection. The dark web is a hidden section of the internet that you cannot reach with common search engines like Bing or Google. The only way in is through the use of special software that renders all users anonymous and untraceable. Breaking down the figures, the NCB reported three cases in 2020, 49 in 2021, eight in 2022, 21 in 2023, and 11 cases up until April 2024. However, the data does not specify the exact number of cases that were exclusively related to the darknet or cryptocurrency. LSD is an odourless, colourless and tasteless drug and the person consuming it can lose the sense of time, distance and space, the agency said.
The current bust comes nearly two years after NCB dismantled the notorious ‘Zambada’ darknet cartel, the then largest in the country, which had ties to the same international LSD network. Zambada had a five-star rating in darknet marketplaces and was based out of Delhi-NCR. Under the identity “Ketamelon,” he received orders on numerous darknet markets, communicated in encryption, and shipped drugs via India’s postal and courier networks.
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Investigators discovered that the racket was run by Muvattupuzha native Edison. The group used Monero (XMR), a privacy-focused cryptocurrency popular in illegal transactions. This article reveals the top 10 dark web markets dominating in 2025, their unique characteristics, and the critical implications for enterprise cybersecurity. NCB officials said ‘Ketamelon’ was India’s only Level 4 darknet vendor — kind of a top-tier status — operating “actively” over the past two years.
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The victims, who are common users, businesses, and even banks, who end up paying the price. From there, these products are then passed on to distributors, which are the dark web marketplaces in this context. On these marketplaces, they’re listed, sold, and promoted just like items on any e-commerce site. Just like on the regular internet, phishing is a big problem on the dark web as well.
- This arrest marks an eye-opening exposition of both the innovative methods employed by criminals to evade detection and the evolving strategies by police forces worldwide to counteract these techniques.
- The estimated street value of the seized drugs is approximately 35.12 lakhs, with LSD blots priced at 2,500-4,000 each.
- According to a recent trend, the dark marketplaces faced a decline in revenue.
- A similar darknet-based drugs trafficking racket was unearthed by the agency in 2021 leading to the arrest of 40 persons.
- Even people with little to no knowledge can buy ready-made ransomware and launch attacks on their victims.
What Do People Sell Or Exchange On Darknet Markets?
That all is for general internet activities, you can guess how crucial having a VPN is when you hop onto something like the dark web. Imagine trusting a site where you’ve been buying or selling for months, and everything seems legit. Some marketplace operators first build trust by running a legitimate platform. If you take a quick look through darknet marketplaces, you’ll instantly notice an overwhelming supply of pirated content.
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The estimated street value of the seized drugs is approximately ₹35.12 lakhs, with LSD blots priced at ₹2,500–₹4,000 each. 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. Under the alias “Ketamelon”, Edison ran a sophisticated drug business. He sourced LSD from a UK-based vendor known as “Gunga Din” and sold it across India using international and domestic couriers.
Earlier Instances Of Procuring Drugs Online
In the present case, Gupta said that once the orders were received on darknet, the LSD blots were sent to buyers through couriers. Probe so far has revealed that the accused had sold the LSD blots to buyers in Bengaluru, Chennai, Bhopal, Patna, Delhi, as well as regions in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. For society at large, the case is a reminder of the unpredictable intersections between technology and criminality, and the need for ongoing vigilance—at the institutional and individual levels alike. Perhaps most shocking to the community was the revelation that Edison Babu had maintained an utterly normal family life. Neighbors described him as “bookish” and “hardworking,” and none had any inkling of his secret criminal career. This underscores a critical shift in the profile of India’s new-generation cyber criminals—educated, technically skilled individuals who blend seamlessly into mainstream society.
Custodial wallets on cryptocurrency platforms such as Binance have also been traced for further action. Its origins can be traced back to the 1990s, through research funded by the United States Department of Defense. 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.
- It can be painted onto small squares of paper that people lick or swallow.
- The operation was set in motion on June 28 when officers intercepted 280 LSD blots from three international parcels at the Kochi International Post Office.
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- NCB’s deputy DG Singh said the latest seizure of about 15,000 LSD blots is 2,500 times of the commercial quantity.
- However, you can trace its roots to the development of technologies like the Tor network or Freenet.
“In continued operations, it was learnt that the largest cartel operating in LSD on the darknet – Zambada- operates from Delhi-NCR,” Singh said. “Two of the ground operators of this cartel were identified through technical and human surveillance and this led to the location of the ‘mastermind’ of this cartel who was operating from Ballabgarh (Faridabad) in Haryana,” he said. The federal anti-narcotics agency had seized a cache of 15,000 LSD blots, the highest ever catch in one operation, and arrested half-a-dozen people in June.
Free Access To E-paper And WhatsApp
Keep in mind that visiting the dark web isn’t illegal, but engaging in criminal activity there is. It scans darknet marketplaces and hacker forums to alert you instantly if anything shows up. This way, you can catch any leaks and stop them before they cause bigger problems. Sometimes, you might be hacked by using weak passwords or even just connecting to unsecured Wi-Fi on public networks. And in a world where almost everything we do is online, taking your digital privacy seriously is more important than ever. First things first, always use strong and different passwords for each account you open.
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We’re talking about even early access to unreleased music, leaked TV episodes, concert footage, and even popular video games before they officially drop. It’s also a marketplace for digital mercenaries; you’ll find everything from solo hackers offering their skills to well-organized groups that take on more complex or high-stakes projects. Some even have connections to criminal organizations and, in more serious cases, government-backed operations. But somewhere between production and purchasing, things can get dirty. For example, an insider or factory employee might quietly slip away with an unmarked gun and sell it online.
In 2023, NCB busted the then biggest darknet-based LSD cartel named “Zambada”, and seized 29,013 blots, 472 grams of MDMA and ₹51.38 lakh in cash and arrested 14 people in different operations. Mr. Singh said the NCB’s Delhi zonal unit had so far registered six cases related to LSD cartels and arrested 22 Indian nationals. “The operation still continues against the third largest darknet cartel.
