NCB busts darknet drugs trafficking network, two held

NEW DELHI: The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Sunday said it has busted a darknet-based drugs trafficking network, which used to operate under the code name ‘Team Kalki’, with the arrest of two persons and seizure of a “large” quantity of contraband.

The syndicate had been operating on darknet marketplaces and the Session app since January 2025. Acting on intelligence, the NCB launched an operation in the national capital and apprehended two key accused over the past three months.

NCB officials seized 2,338 LSD blotters, 160 MDMA pills weighing 77.517 grams, 73.612 grams of charas, 3.642 grams of amphetamines, and 3.6 kilograms of liquid MDMA. They were found hidden in 13 locally sourced parcels, as well as two parcels from the Netherlands.

According to the investigation, the darknet-based ‘Team Kalki’ was run by Anurag Thakur and his associate, Vikas Rathi. Both of these individuals are known to be repeat offenders. They were previously arrested for the same crime but managed to escape punishment. While Rathi was arrested in a charas trafficking case filed by the Delhi Police’s Special Cell, Anurag was arrested in a methamphetamine trafficking case filed by the Delhi Police’s Crime Branch. They met each other at the prison and went on to start the darknet-based drug trade.

Initial indications are that the gang first operated on the dark net forum “Dread”, with a vendor account that had a four-star rating. This means that they had carried out multiple successful transactions. They then moved to the Session app to take orders from their clients.

Initial indications are that the gang had a nationwide network with advanced counter-detection mechanisms. The culprits allegedly got their supply of LSD and MDMA from international suppliers on the dark net from the Netherlands, Poland, and Germany.

Customers from across the country would place orders through the encrypted platforms. The culprits would then package the drugs and send them through courier services or the Speed Post. The culprits allegedly used the “dead drop” method in the Delhi area to send the drugs. In this method, the drugs were left at a pre-arranged location for collection.

It is believed that the nationwide network could have dispatched over 1,000 consignments since January 2025. A device collection and a cryptocurrency wallet allegedly belonging to the culprits were seized. The culprits allegedly used Monero and USDT to make the payments.

The NCB announced that further investigations were underway to identify the associates of the culprits.