Indian National Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Dark Web Drug Sales, Ordered to Forfeit $150 Million

An Indian national, Banmeet Singh, was sentenced to five years in prison for running a multimillion-dollar drug enterprise on dark web marketplaces, as announced by the US Department of Justice on Friday. Singh, hailing from Haldwani, India, created vendor marketing sites on platforms like Silk Road and Alpha Bay to sell controlled substances such as fentanyl, LSD, ecstasy, Xanax, ketamine, and tramadol.

Customers paid with cryptocurrency for drugs ordered from Singh, who then arranged the shipment of the drugs from Europe to the United States through various shipping services. Singh controlled distribution cells in multiple states, moving hundreds of kilograms of drugs and laundering millions of dollars into cryptocurrency accounts, totaling approximately $150 million.

Arrested in London in April 2019 and extradited to the US in March 2023, Singh pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The case was investigated by the DEA, IRS-CI, HSI, USPIS, and local police departments, with assistance from UK authorities.

Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole Argentieri, along with other officials, made the announcement, highlighting the collaborative efforts that led to Singh’s arrest and prosecution. The sentencing of Singh serves as a significant milestone in combating illegal drug trafficking on the dark web and upholding justice in the international arena.