Treasury Department sanctioned Russian hosting provider Aeza Group, accusing it of facilitating ransomware attacks and darknet drug markets that targeted victims worldwide. 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.
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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.
The name derives from the vendor’s early involvement in Ketamine smuggling. On examining the parcels, the NCB found 280 LSD blots. The federal agency said that following a specific intelligence, its officials from the Cochin zone on June 28 intercepted three postal parcels in Kochi, carrying 280 LSD blots. 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. In recent years, NCB officials have observed that each consignment of LSD — a psychedelic drug — bears the imprint (name or symbol) of the main supplier.
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These statistics were presented in response to parliamentary questions from opposition MP Jose K. Mani, who inquired about the increasing use of technology in drug trafficking activities. The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), India’s primary agency for drug law enforcement, is at the forefront of this initiative. Despite all these efforts, he eventually left behind just enough digital evidence for investigators to track him down. According to officers, the arrested man kept his real identity hidden by using fake names and digital tools to mask his online activity. One of these vendors is believed to be the world’s largest LSD seller. This is what helped the NCB gather digital evidence against the suspect.
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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. "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. It is trafficked by painting it on blots, half the size of a stamp paper, and is consumed by licking or swallowing. Classic darknet markets sell diverse illegal goods; data stores focus on leaked or stolen data like credentials, databases, and ID records.
The NCB said the cartel's name is derived from Ismael-Marlo Zambada Garcia, a Mexican drug lord, and he was the last remaining fugitive on the list of Mexico's 37 most wanted drug criminals. “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. LSD or lysergic acid diethylamide is a synthetic chemical-based drug and is categorised as a hallucinogen. Drugs were primarily sourced from a UK-based vendor, Gunga Din, a known reshipper of the globally infamous Dr Seuss (aka DS or Tribe Seuss), believed to be the largest LSD source in the world.
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“Ketamelon” had established a widespread network, shipping LSD to major cities like Bengaluru, Chennai, Bhopal, Patna, Delhi, and regions in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, with over 600 shipments delivered in the last 14 monthsThe estimated street value of the seized drugs is approximately ₹35.12 lakhs, with LSD blots priced at ₹2,500-₹4,000 each. 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. New Delhi, Jul 1 (PTI) The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Tuesday claimed to have busted a darknet-based pan-India LSD (a type of drug) trafficking syndicate with the arrest of two persons and seizure of drugs and cryptocurrency worth about Rs one crore. Chemical drugs valued at approximately Rs 32 lakh and cryptocurrency worth Rs 70 lakh were seized from his home. The estimated street value of the seized drugs is approximately 35.12 lakhs, with LSD blots priced at 2,500-4,000 each.
Mulayamkottil Edison Kerala Engineer Arrested As Level-4 Darknet Drug Vendor
- 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.
- The NCB also revealed that the drugs sold by the accused mostly came from foreign sources.
- According to officers, the arrested man kept his real identity hidden by using fake names and digital tools to mask his online activity.
- In September 2022, the Hyderabad police had arrested eight people, following which the name of “Zambada” cartel had come up.
- It is the second LSD trafficking cartel busted by the agency in the last about three months, officials said.
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.
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“Criminals may operate in the shadows of the darknet and use privacy coins thinking they’re invisible, but they inevitably leave digital traces. This public-private collaboration demonstrates how blockchain intelligence, combined with exchange cooperation, may transform digital traces into actionable enforcement outcomes. The operation unmasked Edison Babu, a former engineer from Kerala, as the mastermind behind a sprawling online drug empire disguised as an e-commerce business.
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. 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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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. The NCB said it is working to unearth the third such known LSD cartel operating in the country. 'Zambada' intended to open an Indian 'outlet' of Dr Seuss with a minimum stock of one lakh LSD blots.
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LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) is a hallucinogenic drug which chemically acts to change the way people sense the world around them. The name of this particular syndicate is derived from the vendor's early involvement in Ketamine smuggling, as per the agency. Darknet refers to the deep hidden internet platform that is used for narcotics sale, exchange of pornographic content and other illegal activities by using the clandestine alleys of the onion router (ToR) to stay away from the surveillance of law enforcement agencies.
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.
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The seized contraband drugs have an estimated street value of approximately Rs 35.12 lakhs, officials added. Under the identity “Ketamelon,” he received orders on numerous darknet markets, communicated encryptedly, and shipped drugs via India’s postal and courier networks. 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. The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has successfully dismantled India’s most prolific darknet drug syndicate, “Ketamelon,” in a high-impact operation codenamed “MELON”. 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.
