NCB Arrests Mumbai’s ‘Crypto King’ Who Provided Bitcoins To Peddlers For Purchasing Drugs From Darkweb

In a major development, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has arrested a man who used to provide bitcoin to drug peddlers to buy drugs and other psychotropic substances from the darknet, reports WION.

The accused, identified as Makarand P Adivirkar, is also known as 'crypto king’ in the circles. The operation was led by NCB's zonal director Sameer Wankhede.

"In November 2020, a team of NCB Mumbai had seized 20 LSD blots from Kharodi Village in Malad. The seized psychotropic substance was purchased from Europe by using Bitcoin by a drug peddler from Mumbai," said Wankhede, the Zonal Director of the Mumbai Unit of NCB.

He added that the accused was involved in giving bitcoin to effect the purchase of LSD in November 2020 from abroad. It was also found that Adivirkar used to provide bitcoins to drug peddlers in various parts of Mumbai.

"His modus operandi was to receive cash, and provide bitcoins on marginal profits by using his wallet that was used to purchase drugs from the Darknet," NCB added.

Wankhede further stated that bitcoins and other forms of cryptocurrencies are often being used to facilitate the illicit trafficking of drugs worldwide.