India’s top darknet dealer laundered crypto with Monero for two years
Monero’s privacy features attract darknet criminals, but experts warn blockchain records still expose illicit transactions.
India’s Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has arrested a 35-year-old engineer from Kerala accused of running the country’s largest darknet drug network alone. The suspect, ‘Ketamelon,’ reportedly ran a Level 4 darknet drug operation for two years without his family knowing.
Authorities seized more than 1,100 LSD blots, over 130 grams of ketamine, and cryptocurrency assets valued at over $82,000 during the four-month investigation. The drugs were reportedly sourced from international suppliers, including a UK-based vendor believed to be the world’s largest LSD supplier.
Shipments reached cities such as Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, and Himachal Pradesh.
The suspect laundered proceeds using Monero, a privacy-focused cryptocurrency designed to hide transaction details, making it popular among darknet criminals.
While privacy coins like Monero offer enhanced anonymity, experts warn they are not entirely untraceable, as blockchain ledgers permanently record all transactions.
The operation comes amid wider global efforts targeting cybercrime and crypto-facilitated illegal markets.
Recently, the US Treasury sanctioned a Russian hosting provider linked to ransomware and darknet drug sales, highlighting increasing international pressure on digital criminal networks.
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