The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) of India has arrested a man living in Mumbai, he provided Bitcoins to dealers for buying drugs on the dark web, an official said on Wednesday. Makarand P Adivirkar, who is called ‘cryptoking’ in some circles, was arrested for providing Bitcoins for the purchase of LSD, a psychotropic substance, to a peddler in November 2020, he said.
The NCB had seized 20 LSD blots from a drug peddler in Kharodi village in Marve Road area of suburban Malad on November 20 last year. After interrogation, the dealer said that he bought them from Europe by using Bitcoins he got from Adivirkar.
Adivirkar after his arrest in Mumbai
According to the NCB, “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,”.
An investigation lead the NCB sleuths to find that Adivirkar provided Bitcoins to people buying drugs on the dark web in return for cash, the official said, adding that investigation was still going on.
Adivirkar was arrested in mumbai.