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. The alleged kingpins of that network are currently in judicial custody.
Operation Melon: India’s Darknet Drug Syndicate Ketamelon Busted In Delhi
Monero and Bitcoin are two of the most commonly used digital currencies on the dark web markets. Due to being the most popular and the oldest coin, Bitcoin is traceable. However, Monero, on the other hand, is untraceable and the most trusted payment method on these markets.
“Criminals may operate in the shadows of the darknet and use privacy coins thinking they’re invisible, but they inevitably leave digital traces. By leveraging advanced analytics and working hand-in-hand with investigators and other stakeholders, we helped trace and freeze those illicit funds. While some of these markets were shuttered by law enforcement agencies – some took the easy way out with exit scams.
Making Cybercrime Easy For Anyone
Shah said the success was a result of a “great coordination between cyber vigilance and human intelligence…As the darknet and cryptocurrencies were used to trade these drugs”. You can use dark web monitoring tools, such as NordVPN’s Dark Web Monitor, to check if your data has been leaked. These tools scan dark web forums and marketplaces for any signs of your compromised credentials. 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.
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.
Criminal Hacking Services
According to a recent trend, the dark marketplaces faced a decline in revenue. Chainanalysis, a blockchain analysis firm, conducted research that shows that the revenue decreased from $3.1 billion (2021) to $2 billion (2024). What’s more concerning is that most of the time, we don’t know about these flaws, and by the time we try to fix them, we come to know it’s too late. Like ransomware, criminals can buy software and inject your devices with viruses.
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However, it has a sneak peek, easy guide steps, and/or a quick list providing quick in-page navigations and easily-found answers if desired. The bust has exposed how deeply entrenched darknet-facilitated narcotics trade has become, and officials believe more shocking revelations could follow. Analyze the market sentiments & identify the trend reversal for strategic decisions. Drugs were primarily sourced from a UK-based vendor, Gunga Din, a known reshipper of the globally infamous Dr. Seuss (a.k.a. DS or Tribe Seuss), believed to be the largest LSD source in the world.
On July 2, 2025, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) announced a breakthrough in its ongoing crackdown on darknet-based drug trafficking. Under Operation MELON, the NCB’s Kochi Zonal Unit arrested a Kerala-based individual known online as Ketamelon, identified as India’s only “Level 4” darknet vendor—the highest rating for India’s clandestine online drug suppliers. Experts emphasize that the anonymity features of cryptocurrencies, particularly Monero’s, continue to pose significant challenges for law enforcement.
According to sources, Edison was stunned when confronted about Ketamelon. He had kept his activities hidden even from his wife and maintained a quiet, introverted life in the neighbourhood,” said an NCB official. In the same duration, 1025 cases involving parcels or couriers were reported. At the center of the case is Edison Babu, a mechanical engineer from Muvattupuzha, a town in Kerala’s Ernakulam district.
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The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), India’s primary agency for drug law enforcement, is at the forefront of this initiative. The Narcotics Control Bureau has achieved a major breakthrough by dismantling India’s most prolific darknet drug syndicate operating under the alias “Ketamelon”, officials said on Tuesday. According to NCB investigations, Babu had quietly established a digital-first narcotics business. Under the identity “Ketamelon,” he received orders on numerous darknet markets, communicated encryptedly, and shipped drugs via India’s postal and courier networks.
How To Protect Your Identity While Browsing The Dark Web
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. As mentioned earlier, launching a cyberattack doesn’t require any hacking skills. Even people with zero technical knowledge can buy phishing kits, ransomware, or stolen logins. It became the blueprint for other dark web marketplaces that tried to take its place. While this may all sound sophisticated, it is a financial crime and very risky.
Launched in September 2022, Torzon Market operates on the Tor network and features over 11,600 illegal products, including drugs and hacking tools. It enhances buyer transparency by importing vendor feedback with PGP proof. Torzon offers a premium account option for additional benefits and is valued at approximately $15 million, accepting payments in Bitcoin (BTC) and Monero (XMR). The story of dark web marketplaces kicks off with Silk Road, launched in 2011. It was the first big site where people could anonymously buy drugs using Bitcoin, and it gained a lot of attention, until it was shut down by the FBI in 2013. The operation seized over 1,100 Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) blots, 131 grams of Ketamine and cryptocurrency worth Rs 70 lakh in a coordinated operation codenamed ‘MELON’.
A Wake-up Call For India’s Cyber Security Forces
Check the score based on the company’s fundamentals, solvency, growth, risk & ownership to decide the right stocks. Buy low & sell high with access to Stock Score, Upside potential & more. 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.
It brings in vendor reviews from other places and verifies them using PGP signatures, so buyers can feel a bit more confident about who they’re dealing with. There’s also a premium account option for users who want extra benefits. And when it comes to paying, the site sticks to Bitcoin (BTC) and Monero (XMR) to keep transactions private. Understandably, as in the case with most illicit trade markets, you don’t even need to verify your email Awazon. Now, that is not to say illegal behavior is completely beyond detection.
- The two operations led to a total seizure of 29,013 LSD blots and 472 grams of MDMA powder and the freezing of Rs 51.38 lakh cash or “drug money”.
- But somewhere between production and purchasing, things can get dirty.
- This task force will specifically monitor suspicious transactions involving drugs conducted on the darknet.
- “Zambada intended to open an Indian outlet of Dr. Seuss wherein he would have maintained a minimum stock of 1 lakh LSD blots.
NCB Busts ‘Ketamelon’ Darknet Drug Syndicate, 2 Held In Raids
The data did not provide a distinction between how many of the 92 cases were solely dark net related and how many were solely crypto related in terms of methods of transactions. To assist in this mission for a drug-free India, NCB has requested public cooperation. Citizens can report narcotic-related information by calling the toll-free MANAS National Narcotics Helpline at 1933. New software tools have been developed under cyber experts’ guidance to track and apprehend individuals involved in these transactions. Given the explosive growth of these markets, organizations must prioritize proactive threat monitoring.
