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It Started With Silk Road
Understanding the World of Darknet Drugs
There is now even a darknet search engine, Grams, as well as a central repository carrying reviews for all darknet drug dealers, called the Hub. Just like the Silk Road, Dream Market is the largest vendor of illegal drugs on the dark web. Users can also find other products, such as designer clothes, counterfeit money, and stolen online banking information. Some of the listings and even entire marketplaces are scams, aimed at separating hidden buyers from their bitcoins, so users have curated separate ratings of the darknet markets themselves. To reduce the risk, darknet market customers may rent a post box or use an address they don’t own but can access.
The darknet has become a prominent marketplace for various illicit goods, with darknet drugs being among the most sought-after items. This hidden part of the internet operates outside the realm of traditional search engines, requiring specific software to access it, most commonly Tor.
These websites also sell significant amounts of psychedelic drugs, opioids and other prescription medications. This darknet trade offers an entirely new way for drug dealers to sell their wares and for customers to score. The market is worth some $150 million a year—a small fraction of the $300 billion estimated worth of the global trade in illegal drugs—but it is growing rapidly. Authorities in the U.S. and Europe arrested nearly 300 people, confiscated over $53 million, and seized a dark web marketplace as part of an international crackdown on drug trafficking that officials say was the largest operation of its kind.
The general volatility of darknet markets has led to calls for further decentralization of transactions to protect both buyers and vendors. If cryptocurrency is held in a customer account on a darknet platform, it’s always at risk if a site shuts down. This section elaborates on the methodology used to identify opioid trading information in the anonymous market and forums. Specifically, we collected approximately 248,359 unique listings and 1,138,961 unique forum traces (ie, threads of posts) from 10 anonymous online marketplaces and 6 forums.
Darknet marketplaces are commercial websites accessed by an encrypted browser which operate on the dark web, functioning primarily as black markets for illegal activity or substances. The fact they were being advertised so publicly in Moscow was slightly bizarre. Because illicit drug dealers on the internet likely cannot avoid using traditional shipping methods to deliver goods to customers, shipping is a key vulnerability that law enforcement may exploit to track down dealers. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said the operation was aimed at “those who seek the shadows of the internet to peddle killer pills worldwide.” Darknet drug sales have exceeded pre-pandemic levels, she said, because more people are turning to it for buying drugs. Finally, the team compared this pattern with the conventional illegal drug market.
The Rise of Darknet Drugs
In recent years, the trade of darknet drugs has escalated, driven by several factors:
- Anonymity: Users and sellers operate under the veil of anonymity, which diminishes the fear of law enforcement intervention.
- Variety of Substances: The darknet offers a wide range of drugs, from widely known substances like marijuana and cocaine to more obscure and novel drugs.
- Access to Information: Drug users can research products and sellers, allowing for informed purchasing decisions.
Thus, we identified 58 opioid jargon used in the anonymous marketplaces and forums (Table 2). Combining opioid jargon with known opioid product names [25-27], we generated an opioid keyword data set consisting of 311 opioid keywords with 13 categories. We manually validated all keywords and the corresponding categories to guarantee their correctness.
We then identified 311 opioid keywords and jargons to recognize 28,106 listings and 13,508 forum traces related to underground opioid trading activities. Finally, we used natural language processing techniques to extract opioid trading information to characterize underground opioid commodities, suppliers, and transactions. Darknet markets, or “cryptomarkets,” are changing the way that people buy, sell, use, and make drugs around the world. These anonymous online markets are democratizing access to global drug supply chains, introducing new challenges and opportunities for supporting the health of people who use the products that flow through them. According to the BBC, there are now over 43,000 listings for illegal drugs online, compared with just 18,000 in October 2013.
Types of Darknet Drugs
The following are common types of drugs found on the darknet:
- Stimulants: These include substances like cocaine and methamphetamine, known for their energizing effects.
- Depressants: Drugs such as benzodiazepines and opioids fall into this category, often used for anxiety and pain relief.
- Hallucinogens: Substances like LSD and psilocybin mushrooms are sought after for their mind-altering effects.
- Synthetic Drugs: New psychoactive substances (NPS) that mimic the effects of traditional drugs but are often unregulated.
The Risks of Buying Darknet Drugs
Engaging in the purchase of darknet drugs poses numerous risks:
- Legal Consequences: Buying or selling illegal substances can lead to severe legal ramifications, including arrest and imprisonment.
- Product Quality: The unregulated nature of these drugs means that buyers often cannot verify the purity or potency of what they are purchasing.
- Scams and Fraud: Fraudulent sellers may take advantage of buyers, leading to financial loss without receiving goods.
How to Access Darknet Drugs
Although accessing the darknet can be straightforward, it carries its own risks:
- Download Tor Browser: This anonymous browser allows users to access .onion sites that are not available on the regular internet.
- Use a VPN: A Virtual Private Network can help to mask your IP address and enhance anonymity.
- Join Forums and Communities: Many forums provide access to different darknet drug markets, enabling users to learn about reputable vendors.
FAQs About Darknet Drugs
Are darknet drugs safe to use?
- We excluded any sale that was more than a week old when the scrape took place.
- Future research on network responsiveness should consider how collective norms or rules for cooperation may promote network recovery and long-term robustness in disrupted environments.
- Authors of the University of Texas study found almost 250,000 listings related to opioids on dark marketplaces, with over 28,000 product listings for opioids.
- Well, these marketplaces have been a reality since Silk Road disrupted the way people buy drugs back in 2011.
- Even in the occupied territories of Ukraine, Russian troops entering Mariupol were closely followed by Telegram bots offering hash, mephedrone and alpha-PVP, peddling their wares even before the ruined city had running water returned.
No, the safety of darknet drugs is highly questionable. Due to the lack of regulation and quality control, there is a significant risk of contamination or mislabeling.
Can I get arrested for buying darknet drugs?
Yes, purchasing illegal drugs is a criminal offense in many jurisdictions. Law enforcement agencies have increased their focus on darknet activities.
What should I do if I suspect a scam on the darknet?
If you believe you have encountered a scam, it is advisable not to engage further and to report the vendor on relevant forums. Protect your personal information.
Understanding the complexities and dangers surrounding darknet drugs is essential for anyone considering entering this illicit marketplace. The risks often outweigh the perceived benefits, making informed decisions crucial.
