Dr.Seuss AKA DS and TS (Tribe Seuss) were coordinating with the kingpin of Zambada cartel with plans to open outlets in India,” the NCB said. 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 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.
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They named this cartel inspired by ‘Ismael- Marlo Zambada Garcia’ who is a Mexican drug lord and is the last remaining fugitive of the list of Mexico’s 37 most wanted drug lords and carries a reward of Up to $15,000,000,” said Mr. Singh. The NCB then zeroed in on the “Zambada” cartel whose conduits were operating from Delhi and nearby areas. The agency then tracked down their handler from Ballabgarh in Haryana’s Faridabad. During the subsequent raids, 13,863 LSD blots, 428 gm of MDMA and ₹26.73 lakh were seized.
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“This is the second-largest LSD seizure in India, after the 2023 bust of another five-star-rated darknet cartel. The Muvattupuzha native is suspected to be the kingpin of this sophisticated trafficking network. Investigations are on to identify the end-users and other operatives,” an NCB officer said.
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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.
- “Zambada was the only cartel in the country with 5-star rating…in India operating from Delhi National Capital Region.
- “Ketamelon” was India’s Level 4 darknet vendor, which had been operating in the country for over two years.
- Today’s cybercriminals spread their activities across multiple platforms, making them harder to track and shut down.
- Accessing them may require .onion links and the Tor browser, but caution is advised due to legality and cybersecurity risks.
- The team includes cyber security specialists, ethical hackers, and cyber professionals.
This task force will specifically monitor suspicious transactions involving drugs conducted on the darknet. The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), India’s primary agency for drug law enforcement, is at the forefront of this initiative. According to investigators, Ketamelon derived its name from its early operations involving ketamine smuggling. The drugs were reportedly sourced from a UK-based darknet vendor, “Gunga Din,” known as a reshipper for the infamous global LSD supplier “Dr Seuss” or “Tribe Seuss”, believed to be the world’s largest LSD distributor.
“The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has busted an international criminal gang that dealt in drugs using DarkNet and cryptocurrency with linkages in several countries as well as multiple States in India,” sources said. 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. The darknet-enabled drugs supply platform had “established” a “widespread” network shipping LSD to cities like Bengaluru, Chennai, Bhopal, Patna, and Delhi apart from some cities in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, it said. A Canadian market established in 2021, WTN offers over 9,000 products, including narcotics, fake goods, and digital services. It operates in both French and English and has built a reputation for ease-of-use. LSD — also commonly known as acid, blots, and stamps — is a potent hallucinogenic drug, without any colour, taste or smell.
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Yet, until recently, most large-scale darknet drug operations in India were believed to be the domain of organized criminal syndicates or foreign cartels. The Narcotics Control Bureau on Tuesday claimed to have busted a pan-India drugs trafficking network operating on the dark web with the “largest ever” seizure of 15,000 LSD blots in one operation and arrest of six people who are students and youngsters. LSD or lysergic acid diethylamide is a synthetic chemical based-drug and is categorised as a hallucinogen.
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. “Ketamelon” had established a widespread network, shipping LSD to major cities including Bangalore, Chennai, Bhopal, Patna, Delhi, and regions in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Over the last 14 months, 600 shipments were reportedly shipped by Ketamelon.
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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.
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Classic darknet markets sell diverse illegal goods; data stores focus on leaked or stolen data like credentials, databases, and ID records. Local media reported that Edison was “currently the largest darknet vendor of drugs in India,” sourcing narcotics primarily from UK-based vendor “Gunga Din,” believed to be the world’s largest LSD supplier. The Narcotics Control Bureau on Tuesday claimed to have busted the “biggest” darknet-based LSD cartel operating in India with the seizure of more than 13,000 blots and Rs 26 lakh in cash and the arrest of three persons. The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has busted the country’s largest darknet-based Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) smuggling syndicate named “Zambada cartel” with the arrest of three accused persons.
Users often report “hearing” colors or “seeing” sounds due to their intense psychological effects. As per officials, Ketamelon was the only Level 4 darknet vendor operating in India, a top-tier status based on global darknet vendor rankings. 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.
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. The vendor had established a wide network for shipping Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) to major cities, including Bengaluru, Chennai, Bhopal, Patna, and Delhi, as well as in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
By leveraging advanced analytics and working hand-in-hand with investigators and other stakeholders, we helped trace and freeze those illicit funds. 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. Binance’s compliance and investigations teams performed critical roles in transforming blockchain transparency into enforcement.
“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. 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. Founded in 2014, BriansClub remains one of the oldest and most infamous dark web markets for stolen credit cards, fullz (complete identity kits), and dumps. The estimated street value of the seized drugs is approximately ₹35.12 lakh, with LSD blots priced at ₹2,500- ₹4,000 each,” the officer added. Ketamelon, according to NCB officials, was the country’s only Level-4 darknet vendor—a top-tier status in India—operating actively over the past two years on the darknet. While some of these markets were shuttered by law enforcement agencies – some took the easy way out with exit scams.
Drugs were sourced from Gunga Din, a UK-based vendor affiliated with “Dr Seuss” or “Tribe Seuss”, the world’s most notorious LSD supplier. The NCB’s financial investigation has also identified Hawala network money payment channels and a group of companies involved in it. The identified assets include 45 properties, many front businesses, including liquor brands, real estate, pubs and restaurants and 190 bank accounts. 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. National Disaster Response Force divers were also used for retrieving crucial evidence from deep waters. “The bureau is carrying out operations against drug cartels under the direct supervision of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, pursuant to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to put an end to narcotics trade in the country,” they said.
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.
