This is what helped the NCB gather digital evidence against the suspect. Experts say Monero is often used by criminals on the darknet for this very reason. The accused used a type of cryptocurrency called Monero to hide the money he made. Over four months, authorities closely followed the digital footprints of the accused. Some experts believe adulterants in street ketamine are partly to blame.
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Authorities stated that ‘Operation Melon’ is the biggest and most complex operation conducted by the NCB Kochi Unit since then. The NCB has thus dismantled a nationwide drug trafficking network. Edison sold drug products in Bengaluru, Chennai, Bhopal, Patna, Delhi, and various locations in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Authorities stated that he has long-standing ties with international drug syndicates.
- The syndicate was operating under the name ‘Ketamelon’ and a probe was initiated by the federal anti-narcotics agency after its Cochin zonal unit first intercepted three postal parcels containing 280 LSD blots on June 28 and the home of a suspect was raided the next day.
- This cartel comprises young educated men in the age bracket of years…various web series on OTT platforms inspired their mode of operations.
- These drugs were brought into India using clever smuggling techniques, often hidden in parcels and sent through regular mail or courier services.
- Hallucinogens change the way people sense the world around them.It is also known as acid, blots, stamps etc.
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This means investing in cyber-forensics, international collaboration, and real-time tracking of cryptocurrency transactions. As access to encryption, cryptocurrencies, and darknet marketplaces becomes easier, more individuals—regardless of their background—are able to enter and thrive in illicit trades previously limited to organized crime. It exposes the vulnerabilities in existing postal monitoring, the challenge of policing privacy-focused cryptocurrencies, and the increasing technical sophistication of domestic drug traffickers. The investigation ramped up after a series of LSD and ketamine consignments were intercepted at various Indian postal hubs.
It is odourless, colourless and tasteless and it is painted on small squares of paper (blots) that can be licked or swallowed. It is the second LSD trafficking cartel busted by the agency in the last about three months, officials said. “The cartel was being operated by young educated men in the age bracket of years,” he said. Any person can share information related to the sale of narcotics by calling the MANAS- National Narcotics Helpline Toll Free Number-1933. Hallucinogens change the way people sense the world around them.It is also known as acid, blots, stamps etc.
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In a major breakthrough against crime, India’s Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), with support from the Data Security Council of India (DSCI) and assistance from Binance, dismantled “Ketamelon,” the country’s most sophisticated darknet drug network. However, the data does not specify the exact number of cases that were exclusively related to the darknet or cryptocurrency. Since 2020, India has recorded 92 cases involving the use of the darknet and cryptocurrencies for drug transactions, according to Nityanand Rai, Minister of State for Home Affairs. Regtechtimes is a niche digital media platform that provides news, stories, and resources about regulatory technology. Around the same time, the United States Treasury placed sanctions on a Russian hosting company linked to cybercrimes, including darknet drug sales and ransomware attacks.
He primarily procured drugs from a seller in England known as ‘Gumgadin,’ indicating his deep connections with international drug syndicates, sources added. For the past two years, Edison was engaged in drug sales across various darknet markets. The highlight of the operation was the coordination with foreign drug liaison officers, and excellent coordination among various zonal units of the NCB and State police forces for simultaneous operations, the sources said. “It was busted in an operation that detected and dismantled the drug market on the Darknet and on social media run by anonymous and professional traffickers, and home delivery network,” they said. To assist in this mission for a drug-free India, NCB has requested public cooperation.
- Following weeks of surveillance and intelligence gathering, 280 LSD blots were intercepted on June 28 from three postal parcels in Cochin.
- The NCB affirms its commitment to dismantling synthetic drug networks facilitated via the dark web and cryptocurrencies.
- Investigations revealed that “Ketamelon” was India’s only Level 4 darknet vendor, a top-tier status in India, operating actively over the past two years.
- 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.
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This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. It is also known as acid, blots, stamps etc. The name of this particular syndicate is derived from the vendor’s early involvement in Ketamine smuggling, as per the agency. The agency launched an operation codenamed ‘Melon’ to investigate it after getting primary inputs from the Cochin seizure,” the NCB said in a statement.
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The NCB’s operation comes amid a global crackdown on cybercrime infrastructure linked to cryptocurrency. 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. The NCB’s bust follows a four-month investigation during which authorities tracked Edison’s operations, which allegedly included over 600 drug consignments to cities like Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, and Himachal Pradesh. Monero is a privacy-centric crypto designed to mask transaction details, making it a preferred payment method for darknet drug dealers and cybercriminals. The operation reached its peak on June 28th, 2025, when 280 LSD blots were intercepted from postal parcels in Cochin. According to NCB investigations, Babu had quietly established a digital-first narcotics business.
Yet behind this facade, Edison — known by the codename ‘Ketamelon’ online — was allegedly trafficking LSD blotters, ketamine, and cryptocurrency valued at around Rs 1 crore. His primary supplier was a UK-based darknet dealer known as “Gunga Din,” believed to be part of a global LSD smuggling ring. Working largely alone, he ascended to the highest vendor level on the darknet—“Level-4,” the gold standard for reliability and volume among darknet marketplaces.
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In order to identify those linked to the darknet-based drug trafficking cartels, special teams were formed by the NCB’s Delhi zonal unit. Babu is alleged to be the mastermind behind the operation, which authorities describe as one of the most prolific drug cartels in the country’s darknet ecosystem . He was accused of being a “level-four” darknet drug vendor operating an extensive distribution network across India. Yet, until recently, most large-scale darknet drug operations in India were believed to be the domain of organized criminal syndicates or foreign cartels.
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The bust has exposed how deeply entrenched darknet-facilitated narcotics trade has become, and officials believe more shocking revelations could follow. “This is the second-largest LSD seizure in India, after the 2023 bust of another five-star-rated darknet cartel. A swift follow-up search at his residence the next day unearthed 847 more LSD blots and over 130 grams of Ketamine — together valued at Rs 35.12 lakh. 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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That operation led to the seizure of 29,013 LSD blots, 472 grams of MDMA, ₹51.38 lakh in cash, and the arrest of 14 individuals. Authorities also seized a bootable KITES OS pen drive, cryptocurrency wallets, hard disks with incriminating content, and a hardware wallet containing USDT worth ₹70 lakh. In a high-stakes operation codenamed “MELON”, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) recently dismantled India’s most prolific darknet drug syndicate, “Ketamelon”.
The operation, codenamed ‘MELON’, was led by the NCB Cochin Zonal Unit and has resulted in the seizure of large quantities of LSD and Ketamine, as well as digital assets worth Rs 70 lakh. In a significant breakthrough, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has successfully dismantled India’s most prolific darknet drug syndicate operating under the alias ‘Ketamelon’. Additionally, the NCB is currently facilitating various training programs on digital forensics, darknet and cryptocurrency. India’s Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) is actively monitoring cryptocurrency payments on the darknet as part of its ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking in the country.
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. The cartels on darknet are rated on scale of 1 star to 5 star based on their potency of drug sold and their customer service. In this search, a lot of other incriminating material including a pen drive containing a bootable KITES OS used to access darknet markets, multiple cryptocurrency wallets, hard disks with incriminating documents and most importantly, a hardware wallet holding approximately 70 lakhs worth of USDT cryptocurrency were seized. A similar darknet-based drugs trafficking racket was unearthed by the agency in 2021 leading to the arrest of 40 persons. Realising PM @narendramodi Ji’s vision to create a drug-free India, the NCB team has busted an international narcotics syndicate and seized 15,000 blots of LSD drug.
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Her repertoire of news stories delves into the whole gamut of issues related to terrorism and internal strife, besides probing strategic affairs in India’s neighbourhood.Read More The NCB also urged citizens to report any narcotics-related activity by calling the MANAS – National Narcotics Helpline at 1933, assuring that the identity of informants would be kept strictly confidential. LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide), commonly known as acid or blots, is a powerful hallucinogen that distorts perceptions of time, space, and senses. The breakthrough began with the interception of 280 LSD blots from three postal parcels in Kochi on June 28.
Edison is believed to have sold these drugs through a wide network spanning Delhi, Bengaluru, Pune, Chennai, and northern regions like Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. Two years ago, he expanded his operations by sourcing LSD blotters from UK vendors like Gunga Din and Tribe Seuss. According to NCB sources, Edison’s involvement in synthetic drugs started about a decade ago, initially for personal use. His arrest followed four months of intensive police surveillance, exposing a significant darknet drug syndicate.
