WASHINGTON – An Indian national pleaded guilty on Jan. 26 to selling controlled substances on dark web marketplaces and agreed to forfeit $150 million. His distribution cells included North Dakota.

According to court documents, Banmeet Singh, 40, of Haldwani, India, created vendor marketing sites on dark web marketplaces to sell controlled substances, including fentanyl, LSD, ecstasy, Xanax, Ketamine and Tramadol. Customers paid with cryptocurrency, and Singh personally shipped or arranged the shipment of controlled substances from Europe to the United States through U.S. mail or other shipping services.

From at least mid-2012 through July 2017, Singh controlled at least eight distribution cells within the United States. Individuals in those distribution cells received drug shipments from overseas and then re-packaged and re-shipped the drugs to locations in all 50 states, Canada, England, Ireland, Jamaica, Scotland and the U.S. Virgin Islands.