NCB Busts Darknet Drug Syndicate

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has reported a major crackdown by its Kochi Zonal Unit, claiming it has dismantled India’s most prolific darknet drug syndicate, operating under the alias “Ketamelon”. The group allegedly used darknet platforms to traffic narcotics, exploiting the anonymity these networks offer.

Dark Net – Overview

• The Dark Net is a hidden part of the internet that is not indexed by conventional search engines like Google or Bing.

• It requires specialized browsers such as Tor (The Onion Router) to access.

• Originally developed for secure and anonymous communication by government and military agencies.

• Over time, it has become a hub for illicit activities, including the sale of illegal drugs, weapons, stolen data, and more.

Darknet vs. Dark Web vs. Deep Web:

• Darknet: The infrastructure or networks that support anonymous, hidden internet activity.

• Dark Web: The content hosted on the darknet (e.g., hidden marketplaces, forums).

• Deep Web: Any part of the web not indexed by search engines (e.g., private databases, login-protected pages), but not necessarily hidden or illicit.

• F2F Networks: Friend-to-Friend networks enable private, encrypted communications among trusted users.

• Use Cases: While darknet technologies aid in privacy and censorship resistance, they are also misused for illegal activities like drug trafficking, weapons trade, and data breaches.

Key Features of the Dark Net

• Anonymity: Communication is heavily encrypted, making it extremely difficult to trace users or intercept conversations.

• Decentralization: No central authority; content is hosted and accessed through peer-to-peer protocols.

• Hidden Services: Websites often have .onion domains and are not discoverable through regular search engines.

Legality in India

• Accessing the Dark Net is not illegal in India.

  However, using it for criminal or unlawful purposes (e.g., drug trade, hacking, child exploitation) is punishable under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), IT Act, 2000, and NDPS Act, among others.

Layers of the Internet