Three India-based darknet users were recently arrested after authorities confiscated a large amount of drugs purchased off several online black markets. The charge is, of course, possession of narcotics.
Now these three men are not the first India-based citizens to order off the darknet. In fact, it’s been noted by law officials that even India-based celebrities have ordered off online black markets.
A senior police officer stated in one case,
“The gang was selling the contraband to one highly reputed film producer among others and the details will be revealed once the investigation is completed.”
Back in 2016, India found their rude awakening to drug trafficking via the darknet. In response, they reinforced their borders and began investigations on possible darknet dealers in the country.
“The authorities have said that the cross-border drug trafficked decreased in 2016. RR Bhatnagar, the Director General of India’s Narcotics Control Bureau said that Punjab, a location which has suffered heavily in drug smuggling has for the recent time experienced a 30% decrease in drug smuggling. The attributed reason for the decrease may be due to the recent attention of the police towards that sector.”
One of those raids included our three men of the hour:
- 20-year-old Mohammad Abdul Waheb (student)
- 20-year-old Mohammad Abdul Quddos (private firm worker)
- 19-year-old Calvin Mascarenhas (musician)
During the raid, 700 ‘sqaures’ of LSD were found – as well as 35 grams worth of MDMA. Authorities confirmed that those arrested ordered the drugs from a darknet vendor in Chicago.
The bummer side of this is that India points fingers at the universal payment method, Bitcoin, instead of the darknet itself.
The Deputy Governor, Shri R Gandhi, does not think fondly of the digital currency:
“Digital currencies and crowdfunding have the potential to support criminal, anti-social activities like money laundering, terrorist funding, and tax evasion…We have to be carefully and critically watching these developments.”