NCB busts darknet-based drug trafficking network, Pg9

Key Highlights:

• The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) dismantled a nationwide darknet-based drug trafficking network called "Team Kalki".
• Active since January of last year, the syndicate used encrypted platforms to distribute synthetic drugs across India.
• Authorities seized 2,338 LSD blotters, 160 MDMA pills, 73.6 grams of charas, 3.6 grams of amphetamine, and 3.6 kg of liquid MDMA in New Delhi.
• The network was operated by Anurag Thakur and Vikas Rathi, repeat offenders who planned the operation while in Tihar jail.

Detailed Insights:

• Team Kalki initially operated through the dark web forum 'Dread', gaining a four-star vendor rating before expanding to the encrypted messaging app Session.
• The network dispatched narcotics via courier and postal services across India, using sophisticated methods to evade detection.
• For repeat customers in Delhi, the group used a "dead drop" method, leaving drug parcels at predetermined pickup points.
• Some of the seized consignments were traced back to the Netherlands, indicating international connections.
• Anurag Thakur and Vikas Rathi were previously arrested by Delhi Police on charges of drug peddling and met in Tihar jail.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Darknet: A part of the internet accessible only with special software, often used for illicit activities.
• MDMA: A synthetic drug that alters mood and perception.
• LSD: A potent hallucinogenic drug.
• Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB): The Indian government agency responsible for combating drug trafficking and abuse.