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UK - Dark net drugs adverts 'double in less than a year'

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http://www.bluelight.org/vb/threads/730824-UK-Dark-net-drugs-adverts-double-in-less-than-a-year


edgarshade
Bluelighter

Angus Crawford By Angus Crawford BBC News


The number of listings offering illegal drugs for sale on the "dark net" appears to have more than doubled in less than a year, BBC News has learned.

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) closed down the original online illegal drug market, Silk Road, in 2013.

But new figures suggest the trade has actually increased since then.

And other research indicates one in four British drug users has accessed hidden websites.
'Big problem'

In October 2013, there were 18,174 drugs listings across four main markets, according to the internet safety organisation Digital Citizens Alliance, based in the US.

A recent trawl of the dark net by BBC News revealed there were now 43,175 listings across 23 markets.
Oxycodone The strong opioid Oxycodone is one of the drugs illegally sold online

In this context, the term "dark net" refers to parts of the internet that cannot be reached easily unless specialised software is used.

Its content is hidden from conventional search engines such as Google and Bing. Commonly used apps such as Instagram, WhatsApp and Evernote - whose content does not show up in search results either - are not covered by the term.


Britain's National Crime Agency recognises the drug trade on the dark net is a threat.

"It's a big problem," says Caroline Young, deputy director of the NCA's Organised Crime Command.

"In our threat assessment we have cocaine and heroin as a high priority, and because it's cyber-enabled that makes it even more of a high priority."

However, she said the figures might be misleading.

"The numbers of vendors in the UK has reduced by 40%, each vendor may have more than one listing," she says.

One internet safety campaigner was concerned by the findings.

"We still think the internet can be a wonderful tool for consumers and businesses, but we do worry good people and companies get caught up in the web spun by criminals and rogue operators," said Adam Benson, deputy executive director of Digital Citizens Alliance.

"That will slowly erode the trust and confidence we have in the internet."
line
The dealer's view
Angus Crawford One anonymous drugs dealer said he thought the dark net market was growing "exponentially"

After months of negotiations, a dark net drug dealer based outside the UK agreed to answer my questions.

He would only do it anonymously and using encrypted messages.

"To us the dark net is all about anonymity and freedom," he said.

I put it to him that he was still selling dangerous substances and supporting organised crime.

"A street dealer could sell you anything without you knowing what it is exactly," he replied.

"Because of the strong community on the dark net, this almost never happens. And when it happens, the vendor in question will lose all of his clients."

He added that the online drugs trade showed no signs of reducing.

"I've seen the dark net market grow almost exponentially."

Undesired publicity

Californian Ross Ulbricht was arrested last year and is awaiting trial charged with being the administrator of the original Silk Road site, which he denies.

Customers and dealers used encrypted email and paid using the virtual currency Bitcoin, which can be hard to track.
Heroin advert Drug dealers offer to ship illegal substances across the globe

The FBI seized the site and confiscated all funds.

But some observers say that has only increased interest in the markets.



"No-one's going to find out who I am, I just feel safe using it”

Sam Dark net drugs buyer

Deepdotweb.com is a website that observes developments on the hidden web.

A representative from the site said: "The Silk Road bust was the best advertising the dark net markets could have hoped for."
Anonymous network

One of the most popular access methods for the dark net is the TorBrowser.

It allows people to use Tor, an "onion-routing" system that makes a PC's net address untraceable.

It bounces encrypted data through several randomly selected computer servers on a volunteer network - before it reaches its destination.

There are also many hidden sites on the network ending in the dot-onion suffix, including drugs markets.

Tor was first created by the US military and is now also used by pro-democracy campaigners, whistleblowers and journalists operating under repressive regimes.

But criminals too are taking advantage of its anonymity.
Cocaine clicks

One buyer agreed to talk to me, but only if his identity was hidden.

Views from both sides of the internet drugs market

Sam, not his real name, admitted he used to buy drugs from a dealer in London.

"I bought cannabis, around every two to three weeks from a street vendor, it was pretty terrifying," he said.

He then showed me the cannabis he bought online - it was delivered to his house by first-class post.

"I don't have to reveal my identity at all, it's completely anonymous, no-one's going to find out who I am, I just feel safe using it."

And there is evidence he is part of a growing number of people going online to buy illegal drugs.

The Global Drug Survey has taken place each year since 1999.

For the 2014 survey, more than 79,000 people worldwide were questioned about their drug habits.

Some 25% of British respondents said they had accessed dark net drugs markets.

The survey's founder, Adam Winstock, said it was just like the growth of any e-commerce.

"Better quality, better range, more convenient," he said, "and certainly in the case of drugs, avoiding having to come into contact with dealers."
Targeting dealers

Those who observe the dark net believe sales will continue to grow.
US customs officers US customs officers check thousands of parcels and letters a year to try to limit trade

Deepdotweb.com expects methods may change.

"We will see movements toward decentralised markets as they have better potential for being safer, are impossible to shut down, and can provide better solutions for handling transactions," said its editor, who asked to remain anonymous.

Britain's National Crime Agency says it will do all it can to disrupt the trade.

"We will use all and every tool and technique we possibly can," said Caroline Young.

"Whether they are dealers and buyers online or on the street - they are exactly the same.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-28242662

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#2 The Network View Profile View Forum Posts Private Message View Blog Entries View Articles Add as Contact
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Join Date Nov 2010
Posts 1,228
Blog Entries11 Today 03:50 Man what is this when people are too afraid to find a friend that is either a dealer or knows one? Way safer and cheaper and faster than someone you don't know posting an advert on the deep web. There's also the risk, if you're an idiot or maybe just unlucky, that instead of 10g of cannabis showing up, about 10 cops show up at your door.

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#3 Libertin View Profile View Forum Posts Private Message View Blog Entries View Articles Add as Contact Send Email
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Join Date Jun 2014
Posts 170 Today 04:02 BBC News

One internet safety campaigner was concerned by the findings. "We still think the internet can be a wonderful tool for consumers and businesses, but we do worry good people and companies get caught up in the web spun by criminals and rogue operators," said Adam Benson, deputy executive director of Digital Citizens Alliance. That will slowly erode the trust and confidence we have in the internet."
Wow. Just wow. So this person really thinks that online drug sales are going to harm the reputation of the internet? That is simply hilarious. The internet is the greatest human enterprise ever, this trend isn't going to change that, only make it even better! And how exactly would 'good people and companies' get caught up in this? It's impossible to end up involved in the dark web unless you're trying to. It's not like taking a wrong turn on the way to the library. I wonder if he thinks formula 1 racing is undermining the public's confidence in our road system. His comments are embarrassing.


Originally Posted by The Network
Man what is this when people are too afraid to find a friend that is either a dealer or knows one? Way safer and cheaper and faster than someone you don't know posting an advert on the deep web. There's also the risk, if you're an idiot or maybe just unlucky, that instead of 10g of cannabis showing up, about 10 cops show up at your door.
I have to disagree; the internet makes drugs safer and more accessible to many people. Reputation systems allow consumers to vouch for the purity/quality of a vendor's drugs. Additionally, buying drugs the traditional way, 'off-line', doesn't necessarily avoid the risk of being arrested. And remember, this online drugs black market is still in its infancy, it's only going to improve.

The internet is brilliantly subversive and exactly what we need to iron out this atrocious situation of drug prohibition. Last edited by Libertin; Today at 04:18.

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#4 The Network View Profile View Forum Posts Private Message View Blog Entries View Articles Add as Contact
Bluelighter

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Join Date Nov 2010
Posts 1,228
Blog Entries11 Today 04:24 I disagree about the part where it still carries the same risk of getting arrested. If you know a couple people and don't buy your own drugs directly from a dealer, you have several layers of padding before they get to you. And if they're really good friends, they won't ever even consider ratting you to get out of jail time. Online, I'm not sure how people tend to do it, but I'm betting a lot of people use a home address or PO box, which are both easily traceable, a neighbor's address less so but still somewhat.

Internet, good place to buy some legal drugs, controversial or not, or a TV, or a computer, or do your grocery shopping. Illicit drug sales? Much easier to just find someone you're already friends with that can get you a source, even if it's slightly marked up. For most people that is. Obviously you can't just stroll into town and ask for an eightball if you live in the mountains in Idaho or something, so maybe the deep web would be good for something like that.

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#5 Crankinit View Profile View Forum Posts Private Message View Blog Entries View Articles Add as Contact
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Join Date Sep 2007
Location I can make Opi-O's!
Posts 5,288 Today 13:29 A lot of places in the world don't have specific drugs available, and even if they are, it can be very hard to track down certain drugs that only exist in specific circles or subcultures. On top of that, the darknet allows people to avoid the criminal aspect entirely, not putting up with wannabe gangsters and ''dealer time,'' and because listings have feedback, quality and delivery is assured to the even most marginally careful buyer. No more buying a gram, only to get home and find out you spent your money on 700mg of glucose or baking soda and 300mg of your drug of choice, or buying something that was supposed to be something else and getting sick (or dead). The tradeoff is the wait (although some would argue that this is a benefit, as it prevents regretful impulse buying) and dealing with the postal system.

There's obviously an enormous appeal, because otherwise these markets wouldn't be popping up faster than they're shutting down.

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