NCB officials confirmed that ‘Ketamelon’ was India’s only Level 4 darknet vendor — a top-tier status in India — operating actively over the past two years. According to a senior NCB officer, the agency, after weeks of intelligence gathering, intercepted three postal parcels in Cochin on June 28, containing 280 LSD blots. Acting swiftly, they raided the suspect’s residence on June 29, uncovering a further 847 LSD blots, Ketamine and a trove of digital evidence. NCB sources said that the ‘darknet,’ operating under the veil of the digital world, had provided a new haven for drug traffickers. Overcoming these challenges led to the success of ‘Operation Melon.’ Edison is identified as the chief orchestrator and seller within this network. LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide), a hallucinogenic substance, causes altered perceptions.
India’s NCB And Binance Join Forces To Take Down The Country’s Biggest Darknet Drug Network
The team includes cyber security specialists, ethical hackers, and cyber professionals. Authorities revealed that numerous Malayalis are involved in such illegal dealings. These transactions often involve not only narcotics but also malware distribution, child sexual abuse material, counterfeit luxury goods, and illegal data sales. The LSD blots (a small piece of absorbent paper impregnated with lysergic acid diethylamide, or LSD) seized by NCB sleuths bore the imprint Gunga Din and Rudyard Kipling. 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. Launched in 2023, STYX focuses on financial crime, providing stolen credit card data, hacked bank accounts and access to various cryptocurrency laundering tools.
- Over the last 14 months, 600 shipments were reportedly shipped by Ketamelon.
- Prior to the Ketamelon bust, the NCB in 2023 dismantled the country’s largest LSD cartel at the time—Zambada.
- It exposes the vulnerabilities in existing postal monitoring, the challenge of policing privacy-focused cryptocurrencies, and the increasing technical sophistication of domestic drug traffickers.
- 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.
- The story of dark web marketplaces kicks off with Silk Road, launched in 2011.
NCB Busts India’s Top Darknet Drug Syndicate In Kerala
The operation came to light after NCB intercepted three suspicious packages in Kochi on June 28. A subsequent raid on Edison’s residence uncovered 1,127 LSD blotters, 131 grams of Ketamine, and cryptocurrency wallets holding about ₹70 lakh. Buyers choose from a range of illegal products, pay using cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, and have items discreetly shipped to their homes via courier services. Over the years, several large drug markets have operated on the dark web, but authorities around the world have struggled to shut them down completely. The agency said the cartels on the darknet are rated on the scale of 1 to 5 levels based on the potency of the drug sold, and their “customer service”. The NCB’s operation against ‘Ketamelon’ is a significant step in the fight against darknet-based drug trafficking.
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Edison Babu, a former engineer, was unmasked as the mastermind behind ‘Ketamelon,’ India’s top-tier darknet drug empire. He exploited the government postal service to distribute drugs across the country, highlighting a vulnerability in the system. Authorities seized substantial amounts of drugs and cryptocurrency, revealing the sophistication of digital drug dealing and the challenges in combating it. “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.
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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. Over roughly 14 months, he processed and shipped over 600 drug consignments to customers across India, earning a reputation for reliability and discretion. High-potency LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) blotters and ketamine, both sought-after substances in India’s underground party and rave circuits. The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has busted a top darknet-based drug vendor named ‘Ketamelon’, which had been operating for the past two years.
Launched after the takedown of AlphaBay in 2021, Abacus Market has rapidly risen to prominence. It features over 40,000 listings including narcotics, counterfeit items, hacking tools, and stolen data. The marketplace is well-known for its bug bounty programs and robust security mechanisms, including mandatory 2FA. Launched in September 2022, Torzon Market operates on the Tor network and features over 11,600 illegal products, including drugs and hacking tools. Torzon offers a premium account option for additional benefits and is valued at approximately $15 million, accepting payments in Bitcoin (BTC) and Monero (XMR). Despite growing crackdowns from law enforcement agencies, the dark web remains a hotbed of criminal activity, offering everything from drugs to stolen data.
LSD or lysergic acid diethylamide is a synthetic chemical-based drug and is categorised as a hallucinogen. It is abused largely by youngsters and its consumption can lead to serious health issues. It is odourless, colourless and tasteless and it is painted on small squares of paper (blots) that can be licked or swallowed. In the same period, 1,025 incidents involving parcels or couriers used for drug trafficking were also documented. This highlights the diverse methods being employed by traffickers to distribute illegal substances. 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.
Russian Market
Three different modes of smuggling of heroin — sea route through Mundra port, land route through Attari-Wagah border and the international border — were used by this syndicate. Given the explosive growth of these markets, organizations must prioritize proactive threat monitoring. Axis Intelligence provides dark web surveillance solutions that help businesses identify leaked credentials, fraud attempts, and malware risks before they escalate. N 2025, dark web websites frequently change domains and are often short-lived. Accessing them may require .onion links and the Tor browser, but caution is advised due to legality and cybersecurity risks. They use pseudonymous wallets, privacy coins (like Monero), mixers, chain-hopping, and non-KYC platforms to obscure transaction trails.
Under the identity “Ketamelon,” he received orders on numerous darknet markets, communicated in encryption, and shipped drugs via India’s postal and courier networks. Silk Road was one of the earliest and most prominent dark web drug markets before its 2013 shutdown. Similar platforms like Silk Road 2, Evolution, and Agora later emerged to continue this illegal trade. These operations remain a growing concern for international law enforcement—including Indian agencies—as they help traffickers evade detection while reaching global customers. The alleged cartel ran three different darknet drug syndicates, including The Orient Express, a Telegram-based group with 300 members, and DRED, a dark web page for reviewing rating and internal performance of India-based drug dealers.
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“This was (Ketamelon) one of India’s most prolific darknet drugs syndicates. The agency launched an operation codenamed ‘Melon’ to investigate it after getting primary inputs from the Cochin seizure,” the NCB said in a statement. 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. The first category includes classic marketplaces, which serve as one-stop shops for a wide range of illegal goods.
NCB sources revealed that the accused operated under the alias ‘Ketamelon’, identified as India’s only Level 4 vendor on the darknet — a status awarded based on the quality of drugs sold and customer satisfaction. The seized contraband drugs have an estimated street value of approximately Rs 35.12 lakhs, officials added. CXOtoday is a premier resource on the world of IT, relevant to key business decision makers.
- The operation came to light after NCB intercepted three suspicious packages in Kochi on June 28.
- NCB sources revealed that the accused operated under the alias ‘Ketamelon’, identified as India’s only Level 4 vendor on the darknet — a status awarded based on the quality of drugs sold and customer satisfaction.
- 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.
- For instance, cybercriminals can buy credit card details with a $5,000 balance for just $110.
- Binance remains committed to proactively supporting such operations to ensure bad actors are brought to justice and to keep the crypto ecosystem safe for everyone,” said Nils Andersen-Röed, Global Head of Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), Binance.
The Cyber Express News
In September 2022, the Hyderabad police had arrested eight people, following which the name of “Zambada” cartel had come up. The man running the operations in India was in close contact with a darknet operator named Dr. Seuss aka DS, TS (Tribe Seuss) and Gamma Goblin, who is allegedly the largest source of LSD across the globe. The NCB has been closely tracking cryptocurrency payments linked to the purchase of narcotics as part of its broader strategy to curb drug trafficking in the country. “This seizure exemplifies NCB’s commitment to successfully dismantle the supply of synthetic drugs facilitated via the darknet and cryptocurrency channels to accomplish the vision of a Drug-Free India,” the agency said in a statement. A bootable KITES OS, used to access darknet marketplaces anonymously, was also recovered. Authorities are now investigating custodial wallets on platforms such as Binance for potential links.
Ketamelon: Inside India’s Top Darknet Drug Syndicate Busted By NCB
Additionally, custodial wallets on platforms such as Binance have been identified for further investigation and action. The NCB’s Operation MELON successfully dismantled India’s most prolific darknet drug syndicate, arresting “Ketamelon,” a Level 4 darknet vendor, and seizing LSD, ketamine, and cryptocurrency worth over ₹1 crore. The bust highlights the growing sophistication of tech-enabled drug networks and the need for advanced cyber surveillance and inter-agency coordination. Evidence uncovered during the operation included a hardware wallet holding about $800 worth of USDT and custodial wallets on platforms such as Binance. The NCB cited Binance’s assistance in tracing and analyzing cryptocurrency activity, which played a crucial role in identifying and freezing illicit funds.
This process, he noted, leaves a digital trail that can be followed with the right tools and cooperation 1. The darknet—the encrypted, unindexed part of the internet accessible only through specialized software like Tor—is a notorious hub for illegal activities. It’s where international drug deals, arms sales, and illicit services are routinely brokered away from the prying eyes of law enforcement.
The cartels on darknet are rated on a scale of 1 to 5 stars based on the potency of the drug sold and their customer service. Zambada cartel was the only cartel in the country with a 5-star rating,” he said. Binance has confirmed its collaboration with India’s Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in the dismantling of Ketamelon, a high-profile darknet drug syndicate. The operation, which led to the arrest of Edison Babu on June 29, followed weeks of surveillance and intelligence gathering by Indian law enforcement. 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 1.
