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Thailand, dark web & cryptocurrency: Drug bust worth Rs 3.45 cr by Pune police

The investigation uncovered links to an international drug-peddling network in Thailand and Bhutan, use of dark web and hawala payments in cryptocurrency.

2 min readPuneUpdated: Dec 17, 2025 09:53 PM IST

A name of alleged “international” drug lord has emerged whom the police know only by name – Rana Tarandeep has emerged as Delhi Police Special Cell probes into the Rs 13,000-crore drug trafficking case.

Name of alleged “international” drug lord has emerged whom the police know only by name – Rana Tarandeep has emerged as Delhi Police Special Cell probes into the Rs 13,000-crore drug trafficking case. (Express File Photo)

The Pune police have arrested five persons from different cities and seized materials totalling Rs 3.45 crore over the past month in a drug-peddling case, said DCP (Zone 4) Somay Munde on Wednesday.

The investigation uncovered links to an international drug-peddling network in Thailand and Bhutan, use of dark web and hawala payments in cryptocurrency. Five other persons are also under investigation in the same case, three of whom are foreign nationals, Munde said at a press conference. The drugs seized include mephedrone or MD, opium, OG-Kush hydroponic weed and LSD strips, among others.

“Dark web and cryptocurrency were being used to get OG-Kush ganja and other substances like mushrooms, LSD and MD into India. Investigation has revealed the drugs were being imported from Thailand and Bhutan to Assam and then to Pune. The substances were being hidden in courier services,” said Munde.

Those arrested are Tushar Chetan Verma (21), Sumit Santosh Dedwal (25), Akshay Sukhlal Maher (25), Malay Rajesh Deliwala (28) and Swaraj Anant Bhosale (28). Verma was arrested first during regular patrolling by officers of the Khadki police station and a case was registered under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act 2(B), 8(C), 20(B), 20(2)(B). A flat in Pimpri-Chinchwad was being used to cultivate OG-Kush hydroponic weed.

“The accused are all well-educated, from technical backgrounds and even IT professionals,” Munde said.

Further investigation revealed links to Deliwala from Mumbai and nine different types of drugs were seized which included weed, OG-Kush weed, hashish, MD, psychedelic mushrooms, LSD strips, cannabis gummies, MDMA pills and CBD oil. Bhosale is also a resident of Mumbai.

Police said Rs 7,80,000 worth of bank accounts, crypto wallets and foreign currency of those arrested have been frozen. Police said 243.99 grams of MD, 1.11 kgs of opium and 82 grams of OG-Kush cannabis has been seized worth over Rs 1.06 crore.

Soham Shah

Soham Shah is a Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Pune. A journalism graduate with a background in fact-checking, he brings a meticulous and research-oriented approach to his current reporting. Professional Background Role: Correspondent coverig education and city affairs in Pune. Specialization: His primary beat is education, but he also maintains a strong focus on civic issues, public health, human rights, and state politics. Key Strength: Soham focuses on data-driven reporting on school and college education, government reports, and public infrastructure. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His late 2025 work highlights a transition from education-centric reporting to hard-hitting investigative and human-rights stories: 1. Investigations & Governance "Express Impact: Mother's name now a must to download birth certificate from PMC site" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant policy change by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) following his earlier reports on gender inclusivity in administrative documents. "44-Acre Mahar Land Controversy: In June, Pune official sought land eviction at Pawar son firm behest" (Nov 9, 2025): An investigative piece on real estate irregularities involving high-profile political families. 2. Education & Campus Life Faculty crisis at SPPU hits research, admin work: 62% of govt-sanctioned posts vacant, over 75% in many depts (Sept 12, 2025): An investigative piece on professor vacancies at Savitribai Phule Pune University. "Maharashtra’s controversial third language policy: Why National Curriculum Framework recommends a third language from Class 6" (July 2): This detailed piece unpacks reasons behind why the state's move to introduce a third language from class 1 was controversial. "Decline in number of schools, teachers in Maharashtra but student enrolment up: Report" (Jan 2025): Analyzing discrepancies in the state's education data despite rising student numbers. 3. Human Rights & Social Issues "Aanchal Mamidawar was brave after her family killed her boyfriend" (Dec 17, 2025): A deeply personal and hard-hitting opinion piece/column on the "crime of love" and honor killings in modern India. "'People disrespect the disabled': Meet the man who has become face of racist attacks on Indians" (Nov 29, 2025): A profile of a Pune resident with severe physical deformities who became the target of global online harassment, highlighting issues of disability and cyber-bullying. Signature Style Soham is known for his civil-liberties lens. His reporting frequently champions the rights of the marginalized—whether it's students fighting for campus democracy, victims of regressive social practices, or residents struggling with crumbling urban infrastructure (as seen in his "Breathless Pune" contributions). He is adept at linking hyper-local Pune issues to larger national conversations about law and liberty. X (Twitter): @SohamShah07 ... Read More

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