Inside the Kharadi raid: From apartment screens to international drug routes — Pune’s silent war on digital narcotics, reported by puneripages.in.
By Prashant for PuneriPages.in
Pune is no stranger to late-night raids, but this one wasn’t just another operation. When the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) stormed a seemingly quiet flat in Kharadi, they didn’t just bust a few pills — they uncovered a digital drug trafficking network that stretched far beyond city limits.
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From Peaceful Apartment to Drug Den
Behind the locked doors of a cozy apartment in Tulaja Bhawani Nagar, NCB officials found 56 grams of MDMA, a synthetic drug more commonly known as ecstasy. But the drugs were just the tip of the iceberg. What startled investigators even more was how the operation was being run — entirely through the dark web.
The suspect? A young man named Sanket Bhosale. On the surface, just another face in the crowd. But behind the screen, he was running a full-fledged narcotics operation — ordering drugs online from the Netherlands and Germany using cryptocurrency, all while blending into everyday society.
International Links and Cryptocurrency Trails
Sanket’s network was anything but local. The MDMA he ordered wasn’t cooked up in a nearby lab; it came from Europe. According to the NCB’s statement, these drugs were shipped into India using international parcel services. Payment? Bitcoin. Tracing it? Nearly impossible — unless you know what you’re doing, and thankfully, the NCB did.
The investigation started with a lead from the Customs Department. A suspicious parcel intercepted at the Foreign Post Office triggered a deeper dive. And when the NCB tracked the delivery, it led them right to Sanket’s doorstep.
How Dark Web Drug Deals Work
In case you’re wondering how this all functions — it’s like Amazon for narcotics, except hidden in the depths of the internet. Sellers create anonymous profiles, transactions happen over encrypted messaging apps, and the payments are made using crypto like Bitcoin or Ethereum.
These platforms offer a disturbing level of anonymity. That’s what makes operations like this so dangerous and so difficult to catch. But this time, the net tightened around the right person.
What This Means for Pune
This raid wasn’t just about one arrest — it was a wake-up call for Pune. The city, known for its IT parks and student life, is slowly becoming a target for digital drug trade. With tech-savvy individuals misusing their knowledge, law enforcement now has to upgrade its game — not just with boots on the ground, but with cyber intelligence units.
NCB’s zonal director, Amol Gokhru, confirmed that Sanket had been ordering and selling party drugs across various platforms for over a year. His clientele? Students, working professionals, and even weekend partygoers.
Final Thoughts — From a Local’s Eyes
As someone who lives in Pune, this raid felt personal. It makes you think — behind every closed door, there could be a story you don’t see. This isn’t just a news headline; it’s a reality check. Tech isn’t always good. The internet doesn’t always empower. And that peaceful apartment down the street? It might be running a global crime.
Here’s hoping that law enforcement continues to stay one step ahead. And as citizens, we stay aware, alert, and not afraid to speak up if something feels off.
This city deserves better. Let’s keep it safe.
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