He placed orders for large quantities of LSD on the darknet, using fake addresses and SIM cards to avoid arrest. Edison's operations were highly sophisticated, involving the use of advanced encryption tools and Monero's privacy features to evade detection. India's Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has made a significant breakthrough in combating cybercrime and drug trafficking with the arrest of Edison Babu, a 35-year-old engineer from Kerala. 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.
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. Apart from the LSD blots, 2.32 kgs of ganja and Rs 4.65 lakh cash have been seized while bank deposits worth Rs 20 lakh have been frozen, the deputy DG said. A total of 14,961 blots were seized as part of the about two-week long operation and the blots are of "gammagoblin and holy spirit of asura" brand, Singh said. 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".
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The cartel primarily dealt in LSD, which it sourced from international darknet wholesalers. Binance has confirmed its collaboration with India's Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in the dismantling of Ketamelon, a high-profile darknet drug syndicate. 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.
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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. "Ketamelon" was India's Level 4 darknet vendor, which had been operating in the country for over two years. "This was (Ketamelon) one of India's most prolific darknet drug syndicates. The agency launched an operation codenamed 'Melon' to investigate it after getting primary inputs from the Cochin seizure," an NCB statement said. 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.
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. The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has busted India’s largest darknet-based Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) smuggling syndicate named “Zambada cartel” with the arrest of three accused persons. These operations highlight the growing role of cryptocurrency intelligence in combating darknet crime and the increasing collaboration between crypto platforms and law enforcement agencies . Nils Andersen-Röed, the Global Head of Binance’s Financial Intelligence Unit, emphasized that while darknet drug dealers often attempt to obscure their transactions using privacy coins and crypto mixers, they eventually must convert their digital assets into fiat currency. At the time of his arrest, Edison was reportedly the only level-four darknet drug vendor identified in India, marking a significant breakthrough in combating synthetic drug trafficking.
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Some are looking for illegal stuff they can’t buy elsewhere, like drugs or counterfeit documents. 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. Ransomware and cryptocurrency-based crimes saw a significant increase in 2025, with $2.17 billion stolen from crypto platforms, surpassing the total for all of 2024. Despite growing crackdowns from law enforcement agencies, the dark web remains a hotbed of criminal activity, offering everything from drugs to stolen data. Drugs were primarily sourced from UK-based vendor Gunga Din, a known reshipper of the globally infamous Dr Seuss (also known as DS or Tribe Seuss) which is believed to be the largest LSD source in the world, the NCB said. Zambada was known for having a rare 5-star vendor rating in India and was reportedly in coordination with Dr Seuss to expand operations.
According to investigators, Ketamelon derived its name from its early operations involving ketamine smuggling. The syndicate has been active for the past two years, sourcing LSD and ketamine from international vendors and distributing them across major Indian cities, including Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Bhopal, Patna, and several regions in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. 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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In 2023, the agency dismantled “Zambada,” then considered the largest LSD cartel in India, seizing over 29,000 LSD blots, 472 grams of MDMA, ₹51.38 lakh in cash, and arresting 14 individuals. Subsequent raids at the suspect's residence on June 29 led to the discovery of the remaining drugs and digital evidence. The high-impact operation, codenamed “MELON,” led to significant drug and digital asset seizures, exposing the scale of the network's reach and sophistication. Edison allegedly sourced drugs from global suppliers, laundered proceeds via privacy coin Monero (XMR), and shipped narcotics to cities across India. The suspect had allegedly been operating as the country's only 'Level 4' darknet vendor under the moniker "Ketamelon" for the past two years, according to reports in local media.
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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. These drugs were brought into India using clever smuggling techniques, often hidden in parcels and sent through regular mail or courier services. The NCB also revealed that the drugs sold by the accused mostly came from foreign sources. This complex digital trail took time and effort for officers to crack, but in the end, they were able to link the funds directly to his drug sales. According to investigators, the drugs mostly came from international sellers, including one in the United Kingdom known to be the world’s biggest supplier of LSD.
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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. 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.
It’s where international drug deals, arms sales, and illicit services are routinely brokered away from the prying eyes of law enforcement. The darknet—the encrypted, unindexed part of the internet accessible only through specialized software like Tor—is a notorious hub for illegal activities. His story is a cautionary tale about how the convergence of technology, anonymity, and criminal ingenuity is transforming the landscape of the drug trade in India. A Muvattupuzha native, believed to be the kingpin, is among two people taken into custody in the high-stakes operation code-named 'Operation MELON.' These cartels collect money in various crypto wallets and then transfer it across through various layers of virtual currencies and finally receive the money in their bank accounts, an NCB officer said. Garcia is stated to be in 'close contact' with a darknet operator called Dr Seuss alias DS and TS (Tribe Seuss) or Gamma Goblin- who is the largest source of LSD across the globe.
He utilized the government postal system and the dark web to facilitate his illicit activities, which involved the trafficking of drugs and the use of Monero cryptocurrency to launder over ₹68 lakh (approximately $82,000). Edison, operating under the alias "Ketamelon," was identified as the mastermind behind India's largest darknet drug trafficking operation. 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 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. In order to identify those linked to the darknet-based drug trafficking cartels, special teams were formed by the NCB’s Delhi zonal unit.
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- LSD — also commonly known as acid, blots, and stamps — is a potent hallucinogenic drug, without any colour, taste or smell.
- Nils Andersen-Röed, the Global Head of Binance’s Financial Intelligence Unit, emphasized that while darknet drug dealers often attempt to obscure their transactions using privacy coins and crypto mixers, they eventually must convert their digital assets into fiat currency.
- It’s where international drug deals, arms sales, and illicit services are routinely brokered away from the prying eyes of law enforcement.
- 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.
- Edison's operations were highly sophisticated, involving the use of advanced encryption tools and Monero's privacy features to evade detection.
India’s Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has dismantled what it calls the country’s "most prolific darknet drug syndicate," arresting a 35-year-old engineer from Muvattupuzha who is accused of operating the network single-handedly while his own family remained unaware of his illegal activities. In a landmark operation, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has successfully dismantled India's largest darknet drug syndicate, known as 'Ketamelon'. Under the identity “Ketamelon,” he received orders on numerous darknet markets, communicated in encryption, and shipped drugs via India’s postal and courier networks. 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 task force will specifically monitor suspicious transactions involving drugs conducted on the darknet. To deal with the growing issue of drug trafficking through digital means, the Centre has established a Special Task Force on Darknet and cryptocurrency.
Babu’s operations were not merely opportunistic. High-potency LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) blotters and ketamine, both sought-after substances in India’s underground party and rave circuits. Over roughly 14 months, he processed and shipped over 600 drug consignments to customers across India, earning a reputation for reliability and discretion.
The agency suspects that over the last 14 months, 600 shipments were delivered by the vendor. 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. Read the PDF version of TOI newspaper.
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.
We are dedicated to delivering news that goes beyond the headlines. Over time, this evolved into trafficking, earning him his online alias due to his early trade in ketamine. The unmasking of Edison Babu as “Ketamelon” is more than just another high-profile drug bust. 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.
