• The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) said on Tuesday that it has made the “largest-ever” single operation seizure of LSD blots in the country — worth over Rs 10 crore in the international market.
• NCB arrested six people after busted an international drugs trafficking network operating on the darknet and used cryptocurrency for trading.

How much

• A total of 14,961 blots were seized as part of the about two-week long operation and the blots are of “gammagoblin and holy spirit of asura” brand.
• NCB said the highest seizure of LSD till now was 5,000 blots by the Karnataka Police during the entire span of 2021 and about a similar amount of blots by the Kolkata NCB in 2022 in a single operation.

What’s LSD?

• LSD or lysergic acid diethylamide is a synthetic chemical based-drug and is categorised as a hallucinogen.
• It is trafficked by painting it on blots, half the size of a stamp paper, and is consumed by licking or swallowing.

The accused

• The six accused are students and youngsters who wanted to make “easy money” by remaining anonymous within the deep layers of secret internet-based apps and messenger services like WICKR.

Use and abuse

• LSD is a mind-altering drug. It was earlier used in the treatment of anxiety, depression, psychosomatic diseases and addiction.
• LSD is odourless, colourless and tasteless and the user loses the sense of space, distance and time affecting their judgement and behaviour severely.
• LSD abuse is largely prevalent among youngsters and it can lead to serious health issues.

Law for LSD

• Possession of 0.1 gram of LSD (about six blots), which is the commercial quantity for the hallucinogenic drug, invites strict legal action under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
• This may lead to denial of bail and rigorous imprisonment in jail for the person who trades or consumes it.