To overcome the sale of contraband material on the darknet, the Narcotics Control Bureau will investigate cryptcurrencies in a more organised and elaborate manner. On Tuesday, the government informed Parliament that NCB officers are being trained to investigate cryptocurrencies and darknet markets.
The agency has been looking into cases where drugs were purchased with bitcoin, and Makarand Pardeep Adivirkar, dubbed “crypto king” in Mumbai, was recently arrested for allegedly using bitcoins to purchase contraband.
In reply to a question, minister of state for home Nityanand Rai said, “NCB personnel are being provided in-house training on cryptocurrency, darknet, digital surveillance, cybercrime information, cybercrime forensics, digital forensics to help them improve their technical competence and acquaint themselves with latest surveillance and investigation techniques.”
In response to another question, Rai stated that the government is training field officers in “cyber and forensic technologies” as well as “collection of evidence through electronic means” to combat the spread of illicit drugs via the dark web. According to him, the nodal agencies are also running a drug detection training programme for employees of post offices and courier companies.
“Coordination with drug law enforcement agencies of other countries is being done for sharing intelligence related to the dark web,” the minister said, adding that “assistance is being provided to states for improving their enforcement capability, including electronic surveillance.” According to him, the government is also establishing a drug law enforcement training centre in Bhopal, which will be run by the Bureau of Police Research and Development.
The government had planned to introduce a cryptocurrency bill ahead of the Winter Session of Parliament, but postponed it due to security concerns. While the NCB is responsible for enforcing the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, gathering intelligence and navigating the darknet has proven to be the most difficult task for the agencies. “The dark web is only accessible with special browsers, and because of their secrecy, these marketplaces tend to attract the attention of law enforcement agencies,” a senior official said.
Previously, the government was considering proposals to strengthen the NDPS Act of 1985 and held stakeholder consultations. The NCB, DRI, Customs and Excise, BSF, SSB, and Indian Coast Guard have all been given powers to interdict narcotic drugs in remote areas and along borders, in addition to the NCB, DRI, Customs and Excise, BSF, SSB, and Indian Coast Guard.