India’s First Dark Web Narcotics Vendor Arrested
India recently made headlines with the arrest of its first alleged dark web narcotics vendor. Dipu Singh, a 21-year-old graduate from Amity University, was apprehended by India’s Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in Alambagh, Lucknow on February 9. Singh stands accused of selling psychotropic drugs disguised as erectile dysfunction remedies on dark web marketplaces in exchange for cryptocurrency.
According to reports, Singh was considered a “major player on the dark net” and had been selling illegal drugs to clients in various European countries such as Romania and Spain, as well as to customers in the UK and the US. His modus operandi included selling the illegal pills through dark web sites Majestic Garden and Empire Market, with shipments being sent through global post offices and international courier services. The NCB also suspects that Singh conducted sales through WhatsApp.
Rajesh Nandan Srivastava, deputy director general of operations at the NCB, revealed that Singh had mastered the art of disguising the identity of shipments, with parcels lacking KYC details. The NCB’s Mumbai Zonal Unit and Delhi team were able to recover a total of 55,000 psychotropic tablets, including tramadol, zolpidem, and alprazolam, in connection to Singh’s alleged drug dealing operation.
It was discovered that Singh, who obtained a bachelor’s degree in Hotel Management last year, initially worked at a legitimate internet pharmacy to support his studies. However, he was enticed into the dark web world by the promise of higher profits, particularly in the sale of controlled psychotropic medicines.
Working with an associate, Singh reportedly took orders for the drugs and arranged for their delivery. Couriers were used to collect the drugs from various cities in India before Singh packaged them as erectile dysfunction medicine for shipment to customers.
If convicted, Singh could face a severe sentence for his alleged involvement in the dark web narcotics trade. This arrest marks a significant milestone in India’s efforts to combat illegal drug trafficking on the dark web.