The NCB has successfully taken down a large darknet drug cartel. During the raid, they arrested two other suspects that included the Muvattupuzha native who was said to be the kingpin of the operation. The high-stakes operation, which was subsequently code-named ‘Operation MELON,’ was an unbelievable success. Crypto assets worth more than Rs one crore were seized by the officials along with narcotics.

The alleged kingpin used the darknet moniker ‘Ketamelon’. He was prominent as India’s sole Level 4 vendor. This distinction was earned due to the high quality of drugs dispensed and excellent customer service. Ketamelon is believed to have shipped in the last year and a half close to 600 such consignments. These deliveries primarily serviced urban nodes including Bengaluru, Chennai, Patna, Bhopal and Delhi but remote regions in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

On June 28, officers seized 280 LSD blots from three different international shipments. Here the most important breakthrough in the case moved it aggressively forward at the Kochi International Post Office. These parcels were eventually tracked back to Ketamelon, prompting more investigation and the eventual bust.

A subsequent search of the suspect’s dwelling led to the discovery of the pen drive. It had TAILS OS, an operating system built specifically for visiting darknet markets. In all, authorities seized more than a dozen crypto wallets and 35 hard disks containing incriminating material. They discovered a hardware wallet connected to Ketamelon, which held assets valued at Rs 70 lakh in USDT. A subsequent search of his home uncovered an incredible 847 LSD tabs. Authorities found more than 130 grams of Ketamine which raised the value to Rs 35.12 lakh.

"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," - NCB officer

The total value of the seized LSD blots and Ketamine is Rs 35.12 lakh. The NCB noted that this was the second-largest LSD seizure made in India so far. It mirrors the similar operation in 2023 which took down another five-star-rated darknet cartel.