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Last Updated:July 01, 2025, 18:43 IST
‘Ketamelon’ had established a widespread network, shipping LSD to major cities, including Bangalore, Chennai, Bhopal, Patna, Delhi, and regions in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand

Investigations revealed that ‘Ketamelon’ was India's only Level 4 darknet vendor.
In a significant breakthrough, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has successfully dismantled India’s most prolific darknet drug syndicate operating under the alias ‘Ketamelon’.
The operation, codenamed ‘MELON’, was led by the NCB Cochin Zonal Unit and has resulted in the seizure of large quantities of LSD and Ketamine, as well as digital assets worth Rs 70 lakh.
Investigations revealed that ‘Ketamelon’ was India’s only Level 4 darknet vendor, operating actively over the past two years. The name derives from the vendor’s early involvement in Ketamine smuggling.
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.
‘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 past 14 months, 600 shipments were reportedly delivered. The estimated street value of the seized drugs is approximately Rs 35.12 lakhs, with LSD blots priced at Rs 2,500-4,000 each.
The NCB’s investigation began after intercepting 280 LSD blots from three postal parcels in Cochin on June 28, 2025. Taking the lead forward, it was investigated that the parcels were booked by a suspect, leading to a search of his residence on June 29. During the search operation, 847 LSD blots and 131.66 grams of Ketamine were seized, along with incriminating material, including a pen drive containing a bootable KITES OS used to access darknet markets, multiple cryptocurrency wallets, and hard disks with incriminating documents.
Both the suspect and his associate have been taken into custody, and further investigation in the matter is under progress. The NCB is now working to identify the extent of the syndicate’s operations and the involvement of other individuals if any.
The NCB’s operation against ‘Ketamelon’ is a significant step in the fight against darknet-based drug trafficking. The agency’s efforts to disrupt the supply chain of synthetic drugs and cryptocurrency transactions will continue to be a priority in the pursuit of a ‘Drug-Free India’ as envisioned by the central government.
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News india Ketamelon: Inside India’s Top Darknet Drug Syndicate Busted By NCB