Ketamelon kingpin used ID cards sourced from darkweb for drugs trade
The central agency has initiated steps to freeze the assets of the accused, believed to have been acquired through proceeds of crime.
NCB had earlier arrested Edison Babu, a resident of Muvattupuzha, along with Arun Thomas, after a probe revealed that Edison was operating the Ketamelon platform on the dark web.
Investigators found that Edison procured multiple government-issued ID cards, such as Aadhaar, PAN, and election IDs, from darknet marketplaces using cryptocurrency to book parcels for drug deliveries.
'There are several platforms on the darknet selling forged identification documents. The accused used these to book parcels anonymously, helping him evade detection if a consignment was intercepted,' said an NCB source.
The agency has also identified several individuals who were purchasing drugs via the Ketamelon platform.
'We have located some of them and they are currently under surveillance. A detailed probe is under way with assistance from our units in other states,' an official said.
Investigators found that Edison had dispatched over 600 parcels to customers in the past year alone. While the exact value of the illicit earnings is yet to be determined, as most transactions were conducted using Monero (XMR). This privacy-focused cryptocurrency conceals sender and receiver details.
'We interrogated both Edison and Arun for four days after securing their custody last week. However, more information needs to be gathered, and we will be seeking further custody from the court,' the official added.
The accused reportedly made significant investments and acquired properties in Ernakulam and Idukki districts. The authorities are now collecting detailed information on these assets to prevent further transactions.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Bareilly co director rents out firm's account to fraudsters, held for aiding Rs 3.2cr cyber fraud
Bareilly: Police on Monday arrested the director of a Bareilly-based company for renting out his firm's bank account to cybercriminals, who used it to siphon Rs 3.2 crore from victims across 11 states. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The money was converted to USDT cryptocurrency and routed to wallets operating from Hong Kong, complicating recovery efforts. Bareilly police said Pradeep Kumar Singh, director of Narayani Infratech, took Rs 75,000 in advance for allowing his firm's account to be used for fraud, with the remaining promised payment yet to be made. Police across Delhi, Maharashtra, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand and other states had been tracking him. Cybercell SHO Dinesh Sharma told TOI, "Our investigation found that Rs 3.2 crore obtained through fraud were transferred to Narayani Infratech's bank account on June 18 and 19. Of this, Rs 1.1 crore came from the account of a scientist posted at IVRI Bareilly who was digitally arrested by the fraudsters. The remaining amount was sent through fraud from other states. On June 20, the entire amount was withdrawn from the account, which was then frozen. " Investigators seized three mobile phones, an Aadhaar card, a PAN card, and a crypto wallet from the suspects. They are analysing the wallet to establish links to an international network, which initial findings suggest operates from China. SP (crime) Manish Sonkar said, "The investigation is progressing and the entire network will soon be dismantled. Nine suspects have been sent to jail in this case. Besides Pradeep, Mahfooz and Aman were also arrested and jailed on Sunday. Previously, the following six suspects from Lucknow, Mirzapur, Budaun, and other districts were also sent to jail."
News18
6 hours ago
- News18
Bengaluru Couple Get 'Jai Hind, Jai Indian Army' Call, Lose Rs 2 Lakh
Last Updated: A freelance trainer from Bengaluru and her husband lost over Rs 2.1 lakh in a scam involving a fake job offer from Army Public School It started with a job offer and ended in a costly scam. On July 9, a woman from Bandipalya, Bengaluru, was duped out of more than Rs 2.1 lakh in a slick cyber con that used the name of the Army and played heavily on patriotic emotions to win trust. Harini (name changed), a freelance trainer, was part of a WhatsApp group that regularly shared job leads from across the country. That day, a message popped up: Army Public School in Bengaluru is hiring a communication and discipline trainer. The message included a phone number. Harini dialed it immediately. The man who answered claimed to be part of the administrative staff at APS. He sounded professional, explained the role, and said the school would pay Rs 5,000 per hour for a two-hour session. Harini was thrilled. The man assured her someone from the school's MG Road campus would call her shortly. Minutes later, a WhatsApp voice call came in. This time, the caller introduced himself as a school representative. He praised Harini's experience and said the institution was eager to hire her; but first, she'd have to 'register as a vendor", as per protocol for military-affiliated institutions. That's where the trap began. The caller asked for her Aadhaar details. Then, he explained that she needed to link her UPI ID and complete an OTP verification to finish the onboarding. Harini followed the instructions and entered both her PIN and OTP. In seconds, Rs 26,000 vanished from her bank account. Shocked, Harini questioned the caller. But he didn't hang up. Instead, he doubled down, sending her a forged military ID to prove his legitimacy. He peppered his conversation with patriotic phrases like 'Jai Hind" and 'Jai Indian Army". Harini, confused and convinced, stayed on the line. Then he asked for a secondary number. Harini shared her husband Dinesh's contact. The same playbook was used again. The fraudster called Dinesh, repeated the pitch, and persuaded him to go through the same OTP-based 'registration". This time, the loss was steeper; four separate withdrawals totaling Rs 1.9 lakh. In under an hour, the couple had lost over Rs 2.1 lakh. On Friday, Dinesh filed a complaint at the Bandipalya police station. The couple also contacted their bank and called the National Cybercrime Helpline (1930). Police have registered a case under the Information Technology Act, 2000, and are working to trace and freeze the fraudster's bank accounts. Investigators say the case is part of a growing trend where scammers exploit the credibility of institutions like the military to manipulate victims emotionally, particularly through WhatsApp-based impersonations. Police have urged citizens to avoid sharing Aadhaar, UPI, or banking details with unknown callers, no matter how official they may sound, and to treat all 'job offer" calls requiring OTP sharing as immediate red flags. view comments First Published: July 14, 2025, 17:01 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
10 hours ago
- Time of India
Cyber fraud mastermind held in Bareilly; Rs 3.2 crore sent to crypto accounts abroad: scam linked to 11 states
Representative Image BAREILLY: In a major breakthrough, Bareilly police on Monday arrested Pradeep Kumar Singh, the director of Narayani Infratech, who was a key player in a cyber fraud network spanning 11 states. The investigation revealed that Pradeep rented out his company's bank account to cybercriminals for Rs 20 lakh. Through this account, illegal transactions worth Rs 3.2 crore were conducted. It was found that the fraudsters converted the duped money into USDT cryptocurrency and transferred it into wallets operating from Hong Kong, making it difficult for the police to recover the money. Bareilly's Cyber Cell SHO Dinesh Sharma told TOI, 'Pradeep received an advance of Rs 75,000 but was apprehended before receiving the remaining amount. Following his arrest, police from other states are also preparing to take him into remand custody. Police from Delhi, Maharashtra, Kerala, Tamil Nadu , Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and other states were pursuing this fraudster, but Bareilly police succeeded in capturing him." Sharma further said, 'Rs 3.2 crore were transferred into a single account of Pradeep's company. The investigation found that on June 18 and 19, Rs 3.2 crore obtained through fraud were transferred to Narayani Infratech's bank account. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Turn Nervous Into Natural – Book a Free Demo Today Planet Spark Book Now Undo Of this, Rs 1.10 crore came from the account of a scientist posted at IVRI Bareilly who was digitally arrested by the fraudsters. The remaining amount was sent through fraud from other states. On June 20, the entire amount was withdrawn from the account, which was then frozen." Three mobile phones, an Aadhaar card, a PAN card, and a crypto wallet were recovered from the arrested suspects. The crypto wallet is being investigated, which could confirm an international network. Initial investigations suggest that this cyber fraud ring operates from China. SP Crime Manish Sonkar said, 'The investigation is progressing rapidly and the entire network will soon be dismantled. A total of nine suspects have been sent to jail in this case. Besides Pradeep, Mahfooz and Aman were also arrested and jailed on Sunday. Previously, the following six suspects from Lucknow, Mirzapur, Budaun, and other districts were also sent to jail."
