LSD & MDMA: Laced by dark web spaces, grip of synthetic drugs tightens on youth

Time of India

12-07-2025

Bhopal: Sample this, A 19-year-old student, part of an online group on a social media website, from Bhopal ordered LSD (Lysergic Acid Diethylamide), a banned substance online through a dark web via post from Kerala.
The cops, in the guise of postmen, arrested the teenager red-handed receiving the drug 'parcel' from an actual postman. This is not one of the only case in the state capital, there are several instances of the sort making the headlines, or undetected and unseized, are becoming the talk of the town lately. The number of youths falling for synthetic drugs— MDMA (ecstasy drug-- Methylenedioxymethamphetamine)— are increasing.
The 'trend' has not only been worrying the cops but have also become a cause of concern for the psychiatrists as they have been noticing the increase in footfall of youngsters.
Consultant psychiatrist Satyakant Trivedi said drug abuse is now becoming prevalent in the city. "The use of synthetic drugs has increased in the city by around 30-50 percent in the past decade," he said, adding that he was saying this seeing the increase in the number of patients he has been getting.
Attributing the causes for easy access through social media, he said that the use of it (drugs) has gone to such a level that he has been seeing acute behavioural changes in both boys and girls in Bhopal.
When asked to expand upon the causes, the psychiatrist said, "They (the youth) have become experimental and novelty-seeking in this direction. There is also peer pressure as addiction, crime and drug addiction are glorified in movies and on social media.
Earlier, drug addicts were portrayed as criminals, but now they are being portrayed as 'cool'. Social media and the dark web have increased easy access and availability.
" Addiction to MDMA is more common, he said.
In Feb 2021, Piplani police nabbed three high-tech drug peddlers, including a mechanical engineer and two engineering students. Police seized 100 LSD 'stamps' and 100 MDMA/Ecstasy pills worth more than Rs 10 lakhs from the accused.
They supplied these synthetic drugs to students and customers for rave parties after purchasing them from the dubious web. The main accused contacted the suppliers over the darkweb by using the internet at cyber-cafes.
"The main accused revealed that he got the idea of purchasing drugs online through online videos. The accused paid for the drugs online in dollars and cryptocurrency," said a senior cop, adding that he remained in contact with the suppliers on the darknet through single-time-use emails in encrypted messages and chats.
The supplier delivered the drugs at specific undisclosed spots in the city and informed the location through encrypted email and chats, after which the accused picked up the consignment and supplied it to students and customers for rave parties.
The accused revealed that they purchased one stamp of LSD for Rs 2000/- to Rs 3000/- and sold it to end users for Rs 4500/- to Rs 5000/- or as per the demand. He got one pill of MDMA/Ecstasy or 'Meow Meow' for Rs 600 and sold it to the end user for Rs 2000 per pill.
Though the cyber-crime branch is keeping a close watch on the online activities of darkwebs, in an effort to trace the networks behind these drugs. Senior police officers insist that they are taking the issue seriously and are intensifying efforts to curb the growing synthetic drug menace in the city.
But the policing has be more stricter, says a social worker on condition of anonimity.
In Feb 2023, the crime branch arrested a 28-year-old BBA graduate and seized MDMA from him.
The accused revealed that he smuggled the drug from Uttarakhand at Rs 2000 to Rs 5000 per gram and sold them to his close friends and students in the city at a higher price ranging up to Rs 10,000 per gram. The accused procured the drug through his friends and contacts in Uttarakhand and contacted his clients through WhatsApp.
Police commissioner Harinarayanchari Mishra raised his concerns over the rising trend of synthetic drug manufacturing in industries using chemicals.
In many past cases solved by the police, such drugs were found to be manufactured within industrial zones. "The challenge is that police typically do not conduct routine checks of chemicals stored in factories within these areas," commissioner Mishra added. Now, Bhopal Police have launched a special campaign targeting drug trafficking, with a particular focus on areas surrounding schools and colleges.
A meeting of all SHOs was recently held at the police control room to strategise and strengthen enforcement.
Commissioner Mishra said that the police in Bhopal have come across cases in which the perpetrators of crime have been found to be under the influence of synthetic drugs. "Curbing drug abuse is critical for crime prevention," he added. On low number of seizures, Mishra said, "As part of the initiative, efforts are being made to boost intelligence gathering to better track and dismantle drug networks."