A sophisticated drug trafficking network operating on the dark web has been dismantled by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), exposing a nationwide operation that allegedly shipped more than 1,000 narcotics parcels across India. The network, which called itself “Team Kalki", used encrypted messaging apps, cryptocurrency transactions and courier services to distribute drugs to buyers across multiple states. The crackdown highlights how traffickers are increasingly exploiting digital anonymity to run large-scale drug operations.
How the ‘Team Kalki’ network operated
According to NDTV, the syndicate maintained a vendor account on Dread, a dark web forum known for illegal marketplaces. The account reportedly had a four-star rating, signalling reliability and high transaction volume within darknet communities.
The group also used Session, an encrypted messaging application, to communicate with customers while concealing identities and locations. Drugs were sourced internationally from countries such as the Netherlands, Poland and Germany, before being distributed within India.
To avoid detection, payments were made using cryptocurrencies, which were routed through multiple digital wallets, making financial trails difficult for investigators to track. Distribution inside India relied heavily on Speed Post and private courier services, enabling discreet deliveries directly to customers.
In some areas of Delhi, the network even used a “dead drop” method, leaving parcels at predetermined locations and sharing coordinates with buyers rather than meeting them in person.
Arrests and drugs seized
Authorities said the operation was run by Anurag Thakur and Vikas Rathi, who reportedly formed their partnership while lodged in Tihar Jail in separate drug-related cases.
After about three months of surveillance, the NCB launched raids in Delhi and seized a range of narcotics, including 2,338 LSD blotters, 160 MDMA tablets, 3.6 kg of liquid MDMA, 73.6 grams of charas, and 3.6 grams of amphetamine.
Some of these drugs were intercepted in domestic parcels, while two shipments were traced to overseas origins.
Investigators also recovered electronic devices and a cryptocurrency wallet linked to the accused. Parcels connected to the network had previously been intercepted in states including Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Kerala and Karnataka, indicating the scale of the distribution chain.
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The bust of the “Team Kalki” network highlights the evolving nature of drug trafficking in the digital age. By combining darknet marketplaces, encrypted communication and courier deliveries, traffickers attempted to create a nationwide supply chain while remaining anonymous. Authorities say the investigation is ongoing as they track additional associates and attempt to uncover the wider international network behind the operation.
