Fire Extinguishers Used To Smuggle Fentanyl In From Mexico, DOJ Alleges
Understanding the Dark Web and Its Drug Trade
It also offered an incredibly useful pathway for the dissemination of information, especially in countries with authoritarian governments who restricted free speech. Almost unintentionally, this communication technology provided a “digital roof” under which new markets could develop as demand for decentralized drug dealing grew. When governmental drug policy is restrictive, black markets will organically expand to meet a demand, unfortunately creating opportunities for unregulated manufacture and distribution. The agency, based in The Hague, built intelligence based on evidence from Germany, which it said seized the marketplace’s “criminal infrastructure” in December 2021. The largest number of arrests — 153 — were made in the United States, followed by the United Kingdom with 55 and Germany with 52, according to the European Union law enforcement agency Europol, which coordinated the worldwide operation. For the first time, FBI agents from all the bureau’s field offices also visited buyers to tell them about the overdose danger of pills sold online, which are often disguised to look like prescription drugs.
Vendors based in the US do not often close their doors to the uninitiated; rather, they encourage new members and novices to engage in cybercrime. Trend Micro says sellers from this country often rely on Russia for tips and trading tactics, and there is most likely collaboration between the two countries given clues such as cross-advertising and overlapping profiles. Skimming equipment, hardware, exploits and hacking tools abound, as well as social engineering toolkits and a swathe of ready-made systems for cybercriminals. Preliminary investigation indicated that the two suspects were the main receiver of the seized parcel. In April last year German and US law officials closed down the “Hydra” marketplace, estimated to be worth 1.23 billion euros.
The dark web is a hidden part of the internet that is not indexed by traditional search engines. Accessing it typically requires special software, most commonly the Tor browser. Among its many illicit activities, the trade of dark web drugs has garnered significant attention from law enforcement and the media.
The Appeal of Dark Web Drugs
Vendors may fake sales (though probably not often, since cryptomarkets take a cut) or reviews (though dissatisfied real customers would soon catch outright fraudsters). The volatile exchange rate between bitcoin and dollars means our conversions of prices are not completely accurate. Scientific analysis of dark net drug markets has been occurring since the inception of Silk Road in 2011. This analysis has found that the most popular drugs sold on crypto markets are cannabis, ecstasy/MDMA, stimulants such as amphetamines and cocaine, and pharmaceuticals such as opioids and performance and image enhancing drugs. “This, in turn, could trigger accelerated changes in patterns of drug use and entail public health implications,” the UNODC report says. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and multiple other law enforcement agencies to investigate Okparaeke’s case.
Individuals often turn to the dark web to purchase drugs for several reasons:
The site remains offline, despite two people claiming to be AlphaBay administrators taking to message boards to claim it is merely down for maintenance. The Dark Web refers to illegal online marketplaces that can be accessed by downloading the anonymous browser called Tor, and purchasing the digital currently bitcoin. In addition to illegal drugs, these websites sell passports, pornography and weapons.
“It is not a locked vault accessible only to the tech-savviest of hackers but rather a glass tank — open and visible to both cybercriminals and law enforcement,” the team says. Lastly, the “Dark” Web is a fraction of the Deep Web where illegal dealings take place, such as the purchase of weapons, drugs, counterfeit documents and hacking tools. Led by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Dutch police the operation called “Cookie Monster” saw 119 suspects arrested and involved 17 countries across the world. “Our coalition of law enforcement authorities across three continents proves that we all do better when we work together,” Europol’s director Catherine De Bolle said. Police also recovered 50.8 million euros ($53.4 million) in cash and virtual currency and seized 850 kilos of drugs, mainly amphetamines and opioids, Europol and the DOJ added. The US Justice Department said several suspects have already been convicted or were being prosecuted following Operation SpecTor — which it described as the “largest international operation against darknet trafficking of fentanyl and opioids”.
- Privacy: Buyers can remain anonymous, protecting their identity and location.
- Variety: The dark web offers a greater variety of substances compared to local dealers.
- Accessibility: Individuals in areas with limited access to certain drugs find it easier to obtain them online.
- Lower Prices: Due to the competitive nature of the dark net, some buyers find better deals on drugs.
Our investigation culminated in the report The State of Opioid Sales on the Dark Web. Private sector partner Bitdefender claimed to have offered crucial cybersecurity consulting and support to the investigative team. It hailed the operation as proof of the value of public-private partnerships in this space. Certain types of software are often required in order to access the dark web, and you must have a certain web browser that allows you to do so. Microsoft, Firefox, and Google Chrome, for example, won’t allow you to access this portion of the internet. As with everything else during the years of the Covid-19 pandemic, contactless drug peddling was identified as an accelerating trend.
The fact that most of the respondents did not consider the registration option (TF 9) and payment with cryptocurrency (TF 13) to be essential trust factors contradicts the practice of darknet drug trade (Bahamazava & Nanda, 2022; Szigeti et al., 2023). This may be due to the composition of the sample since the technical elements of darknet purchasing are only learned by potential customers at the so-called informational accumulation stage of the process of the darknet drug trade (Jardine, 2021). Therefore, actual darknet market users who have the required technical knowledge would perhaps assess these factors differently. The lack of technical knowledge and the assessment of other elements of anonymity and encryption suggest that risk perception related to data loss can be effectively influenced in the study’s target population. An example is Operation Bayonet, in which law enforcement agencies took over an entire darknet market and obtained user data, thus effectively reducing the activity of vendors and customers (Bradley & Stringhini, 2019).
Police are also unlikely to target people purchasing a small amount of drugs. They have larger fish to fry – like the sellers producing drugs and dealing them in the first place. A study by Energy Control, a Spanish think-tank that asked volunteers to send samples of dark-web drugs for testing, confirms the existence of this quality premium. It found an average purity level for cocaine, the drug for which it gathered the most data, of 71.6%, compared with 48% for cocaine bought on Spanish streets.
Common Drugs Available on the Dark Web
The dark web is notorious for its vast selection of illegal drugs, including but not limited to:
- Marijuana – Often sold in various strains with detailed descriptions.
- Cocaine – Typically sold in powdered form, with purity levels disclosed.
- MDMA (Ecstasy) – This popular party drug is frequently found in various forms and colors.
- Heroin – Available in different grades, users often rely on seller reviews for quality assurance.
- Prescription Medications – Many sellers offer drugs like Oxycodone and Xanax without a prescription.
Risks Involved in Purchasing Dark Web Drugs
While the allure of buying drugs from the dark web may be strong, there are significant risks involved:
- Legal Consequences: Purchasing illegal substances can lead to arrest and prosecution.
- Scams: Many sellers on the dark web are fraudulent, leading to lost money and no product.
- Health Risks: There is no regulation regarding the quality or safety of these drugs, making consumption dangerous.
- Exposure to Malware: Navigating the dark web can expose users to hacking or malware.
How Law Enforcement is Responding
In response to the growing issue of dark web drugs, law enforcement agencies are increasing their efforts to combat this illegal trade:
- Operation Disruption: Authorities have shut down several major dark web marketplaces.
- Undercover Operations: Law enforcement personnel frequently engage in undercover purchases to track sellers.
- Cryptocurrency Tracking: Investigators are utilizing advanced techniques to trace transactions made with cryptocurrencies.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the dark web?
The dark web refers to parts of the internet that are not indexed by standard search engines and require special software to access.
Is it safe to buy drugs on the dark web?
- Private sector partner Bitdefender claimed to have offered crucial cybersecurity consulting and support to the investigative team.
- Separately, crypto researcher Chainalysis, hired by U.S. government agencies to track illegal flows, concluded in a 2020 report that Binance received criminal funds totaling $770 million alone, more than any other crypto exchange.
- I don’t need to drop any more percentages than I have to, and neither do my customers.
- A common form of criminal activity on the dark net is the sale and distribution of illicit drugs, which has been bolstered by a change in the legal statuses of products or substances from “legal” or “unregulated” to “illegal,” “controlled,” or “banned” substances.
- One hundred milligrams of carfentanil, a synthetic opioid more potent than fentanyl used to sedate large animals, could be enough to kill dozens of people, according to Dr. David Juurlink, a medical toxicologist at the Ontario Poison Centre.
- But the competition from an international market drives online prices below those on the street.
No, purchasing drugs from the dark web is risky and can lead to legal issues, scams, and health dangers.
What types of drugs can I find on the dark web?
The dark web contains a variety of illegal drugs, including marijuana, cocaine, MDMA, heroin, and various prescription medications.
How do authorities combat dark web drug trafficking?
Law enforcement uses various strategies such as shutting down marketplaces, conducting undercover operations, and tracking cryptocurrency transactions to tackle dark web drugs.
Understanding the complexities of the dark web and its drug trade is essential for recognizing the potential dangers and implications involved in engaging with this illicit market.
