'Ketamelon' drug ring: Bootable darknet OS, crypto wallets seized; how Rs 5,000 LSD stamps reached homes in Patna, Delhi, Bhopal and more

NEW DELHI: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) busted a major darknet-based drug syndicate named Ketamelon, which supplied drugs to distributors and end users across the country. The syndicate shipped LSD to major cities, delivering 600 shipments in 14 months, the probe revealed.The suspects revealed that they sourced the drugs from a UK-based vendor, ‘Gunga Din', a known re-shipper of the globally infamous Dr. Seuss (aka DS or Tribe Seuss), believed to be the largest LSD source in the world.The operation resulted in the seizure of 1,127 LSD blots and 131.66 grams of Ketamine, with an estimated value of Rs 35 lakhs. Additionally, digital assets worth Rs 70 lakhs were seized, including USDT cryptocurrency. Two suspects were taken into custody, and further investigation is in progress," said a senior officer.Ketamelon, the NCB said, was India's only Level-4 darknet vendor, operating actively over the past two years, deriving its name from the vendor's early involvement in Ketamine smuggling. Ketamelon established a widespread network, shipping LSD to Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Bhopal, and Patna, besides Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.The investigation began after intercepting 280 LSD blots from three postal parcels on June 28, 2025. Further probe led to the seizure of 847 more LSD blots and 131.66 grams of Ketamine. Additionally, incriminating materials were recovered, including a pen drive containing a bootable ‘Kites' operating system used to access darknet markets, cryptocurrency wallets, and hard disks with incriminating documents.LSD (lysergic diethylamide acid) is the most powerful hallucinogenic drug available. They mostly come as ‘stamps', and a sheet of LSD has around 100 of them that people lick or swallow. It is also available in the form of drops and consumed after being poured on sugar cubes. Each LSD stamp or drop is priced at Rs 3,500-5,000, depending upon quality and potency, which is measured in micrograms. The most powerful LSD sold to date has been 1,200 micrograms.An LSD or acid ‘trip' is described as a psychedelic experience that alters the state of consciousness, causing significant changes to a person's thoughts and feelings. The experience lasts anywhere between 8 and 12 hours. "LSD alters the sense of space, distance, and time. People say they ‘hear' colours or ‘see' sounds and have strange feelings and strong emotions," said a source.Earlier in 2023, NCB busted the then biggest darknet-based LSD cartel named "Zambada", seizing 29,013 blots of LSD, 472 grams of MDMA, and Rs 51.38 lakh cash, and arrested 14 persons, out of which the main kingpins are under judicial custody. The Zambada cartel was the only cartel in the country with a 5-star rating most of the time in India, operating from Delhi NCR. Dr. Seuss, aka DS and TS (Tribe Seuss), coordinated with the kingpin of the Zambada cartel with plans to open outlets in India. The cartels on the darknet are rated on a scale of 1 star to 5 stars based on the potency of the drug sold and their customer service.