1 Assistant Professor, University School Of Law, Sggswu, Fatehgarh Sahib. Email: apnavneetkaur@gmail.com
2 Assistant Professor, University School Of Law, Sggswu, Fatehgarh Sahib. Email: mohleenkaur7@gmail.com
3 Assistant Professor, University School Of Law, Sggswu, Fatehgarh Sahib. Email: kgurleen389@gmail.com
4 Assistant Professor, University School Of Law, Sggswu, Fatehgarh Sahib. Email: khuranasabia@gmail.com
The proliferation of cryptocurrency-enabled narcotics trafficking through dark web platforms has transformed traditional drug supply chains in india, exposing critical regulatory voids in the narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances (ndps) act, 1985. This socio-legal study examines the period 2018–2025, integrating doctrinal analysis of ndps provisions (particularly sections 8, 27a, and 37) with empirical data from official sources such as the narcotics control bureau (ncb) and enforcement directorate (ed). Key findings reveal a surge in darknet-crypto cases—from 3 in 2020 to 92 by april 2024—with operations like ncb's "operation ketamelon" (2025) seizing lsd blots, ketamine, and cryptocurrency worth ₹70 lakhs, alongside "team kalki" (2026) involving over 1,000 consignments. While ndps amendments (2014/2018) and pmla linkages have strengthened asset forfeiture, gaps persist in tracing anonymous transactions, jurisdictional challenges, and bail thresholds amid technological anonymity. Drawing on latest case laws (e.g., madras high court's 2025 recognition of cryptocurrency as "property" and delhi/ bombay high court rulings on network nexus in bail denials), the paper highlights socio-legal tensions between enforcement efficacy and privacy/human rights. Recommendations include ndps-specific crypto-tracking amendments, enhanced inter-agency digital forensics, and fatf-aligned international cooperation to bridge these paradigms. This analysis contributes to scopus-indexed discourse on digital crime and drug policy in emerging economies.
Keywords: Crypto, Narcotics, Digital, Trafficking.
How To Cite This Article: Kaur N, Kaur M, Kaur G, Sabia. Cryptocurrency-Fueled Narcotics Networks: A Socio-Legal Analysis Of Regulatory Gaps In India'S Ndps Act Amid Emerging Digital Trafficking Paradigms (2018–2025). Int J Drug Deliv Technol. 2026;16(26s):749. Doi: 10.25258/ijddt.16.26s.79