#Chargesheet Filed Against 'Ketamelon' Darknet Cartel Members in Major Drug Case

Four accused individuals face charges for ordering and distributing LSD and ketamine through the darknet

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has filed a chargesheet against members of the "Ketamelon" cartel, a notorious darknet drug ring. The chargesheet was filed on December 23 before the Ernakulam Additional District and Sessions Court.

#Details of the Accused

The accused individuals named in the chargesheet are:

• Edison Babu, a native of Muvattupuzha
• Arun Thomas
• Sandeep Sajeev, based in the UK
• Harikrishnan Aji Nawas, located in Australia

#Operation and Allegations

The operation, code-named "MELON", revealed that the accused were operating a darknet cartel with links across India. The NCB alleges that:

• Babu, the prime accused, placed orders for drugs through the darknet, which were shipped from the UK by Sajeev.
• Nawas handled cryptocurrency transactions involving payments received for the drugs supplied by Babu.

#Asset Seizure and International Cooperation

The NCB has approached Interpol to trace the two accused based abroad.

The agency has seized assets worth over $333,900 belonging to Edison Babu, including:

• A shopping complex in Muvattupuzha valued at around $115,000
• Cryptocurrency worth about $200,000
• Another property in Idukki
• 1,127 suspected LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide) blots
• 131.66 grams of ketamine

#Investigation Findings

The NCB investigation found that the drugs ordered by Babu via the darknet arrived as parcels from abroad, carefully concealed to evade detection by Customs. The drugs were later distributed to various parts of India and also sent abroad.

#Source of Drugs

The NCB believes that the drugs were primarily sourced from a UK-based vendor named GungaDin, an associate of Dr Seuss, also known as Tribe Seuss.

#Background on the Arrest

The arrest of Edison Babu was a result of a collaborative effort between the NCB, Binance, and the Data Security Council of India (DSCI). Binance provided critical crypto analytics that helped investigators trace and freeze approximately $70,000 worth of illicit funds.

The breakthrough came in late June, when officials intercepted three drug-laden parcels in Kochi. Subsequent raids at Babu's residence uncovered narcotics, high-end electronics, fake IDs, packaging material, and cryptocurrency wallets.