Buying drugs from professional-looking sites with user ratings, proceed-to-carts and customer-service buttons makes sourcing cocaine a lot like buying a DVD or doing your weekly shop. One Bristol-based darknet customer told me how he reacted when Dream and WSM closed. “I found URLs for Empire and Nightmare in then minutes, and then I found my usual vendor and scored ten tabs of LSD and 7g of MDMA ready for Glastonbury.” In May, German police shut down Wall Street Market, a thriving marketplace that had more than 63,000 deals and 5,400 sellers, with over 1 million users worldwide. It was a resource-heavy operation, involving hundreds of separate investigations by five EU and US agencies. A few weeks before, Dream – the longest running and largest market – was closed under mysterious circumstances.
The Dark World of Buying Drugs on the Darknet
The Dutch national police’s Cyber Enabled Crime Team was involved in the operation, codenamed SpecTor. Doe, nonetheless, has avoided unwanted interactions with police thus far. “Regardless of the safety precautions that I take, it’s still nerve racking. It certainly can,” adding that he has friends who have not been as lucky.
You’ll need to use an anonymizing browser like Tor (the onion router). Tor has many legitimate use cases for those seeking privacy online, or for those prevented from accessing sites due to censorship in any given country. So, the upper two layers of the internet might not all be entirely visible, but the content is not inflammatory. Before we look into this, it is important to note that anyone who is dealing with a drug or alcohol addiction should seek help immediately. Renaissance Recovery is a treatment community that has partnerships with Orange County rehabs and offers sober living homes to all clients who need it. We’re here 24/7 to help you get the care you need to live life on your terms, without drugs or alcohol.
This cloaks your use of TOR, so no one knows you are even on the deep web. And aside from their wares, these marketplaces look remarkably similar to their counterparts on the “clearnet”, or regular internet. Users leave detailed reviews on the quality of a vendor’s product, speed of delivery, and how secure the shipping method was. There’s information on where vendors are located and where they’ll ship to.
All the vendors use pseudonyms, but they keep the same fake name to build up their reputation. Because it’s so easy for buyers to switch allegiance to any one of 900 competitors at any moment, the vendors are forced to compete for custom. The only way to get it is by having a good history of positive feedback from other users.
Fraud And Hacking Services
In recent years, the internet has revolutionized numerous aspects of daily life, including the way we procure substances. One of the most clandestine methods is through the darknet, a hidden part of the web that requires specific software to access.
Understanding the Darknet
The platform takes around 15 minutes to set up and it decreases dark web investigation time by 10x. Russian Market is a hacker-focused website with high volumes of stolen information available. Registration is easy and the site is accessible via both the dark web and clear web. Newly registered users cannot view any of this market’s listings though until they deposit at least $50 of Litecoin, Bitcoin, or Ethereum.
Often, that will include sealing products in ‘mylar’ – polyester film or plastic sheet – to prevent detection by police sniffer dogs and x-rays. Operating under the alias Dread Pirate Roberts, Ulbricht made a commission on all drug sales. When the site was shut down for good by the FBI, the agency seized over 144,000 bitcoins. If the FBI still has those bitcoins, they would now be worth over $4.5 billion.
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. When it comes to buying illegal drugs, safety is no small matter — even drug deals between friends can go awry when money or addiction is involved. The prospect of solving illegal drug purchasing’s safety problem via online purchase seems pretty tempting. According to Cory, only one online dealer in North America sells truly fentanyl-less heroin anymore. While a number claim to sell “fentanyl-free” dope, reviews indicate that they’re lying. (Some people also seek fentanyl and there are vendors who openly sell it.) Still, my sources agree, unwanted fentanyl is found in lower levels in drugs bought online compared with street drugs.
The darknet is often confused with the surface web. While most of the internet is accessible through standard browsers, the darknet comprises sites that aren’t indexed by search engines. This anonymity attracts users for various reasons, including privacy and illicit activities.
- Class A drugs could be found on the site in seconds, luring people to use the chat function to order their narcotics.
- The trust matrix was created by ordering the means of the importance of each trust factor.
- Buying drugs from professional-looking sites with user ratings, proceed-to-carts and customer-service buttons makes sourcing cocaine a lot like buying a DVD or doing your weekly shop.
- (Some people also seek fentanyl and there are vendors who openly sell it.) Still, my sources agree, unwanted fentanyl is found in lower levels in drugs bought online compared with street drugs.
- Finally, despite its large size, the sample only allowed us to perform non-parametric tests due to the lack of normal distribution.
The Appeal of Buying Drugs on the Darknet
Purchasing drugs on the darknet has several appealing factors:
- Anonymity: Many users believe that buying from the darknet protects their identity.
- Variety: Access to a wide range of substances that may not be readily available locally.
- Convenience: The ability to purchase drugs from home without face-to-face interactions.
How to Buy Drugs on the Darknet
For those considering this route, understanding the process is crucial. Here’s a basic outline:
- Accessing the Darknet: Users typically utilize software like Tor to access darknet sites anonymously.
- Finding Marketplaces: Platforms like Silk Road (now defunct) and others offer listings for various drugs.
- Creating Accounts: Most marketplaces require users to register and verify their identity, albeit with anonymity.
- Selecting Products: Users browse listings, read reviews, and choose desired substances.
- Making Purchases: Transactions often occur using cryptocurrencies to maintain anonymity.
Risks Involved in Buying Drugs on the Darknet
Despite its allure, there are substantial risks involved:
- Legality: Purchasing drugs on the darknet is illegal in most jurisdictions.
- Fraud: Many marketplaces are rife with scams, and users may never receive their purchases.
- Quality Control: Since products are unregulated, there’s no guarantee of safety or authenticity.
- Law Enforcement: Authorities are increasingly monitoring darknet activities, and there are real dangers of arrest.
FAQs
Is it safe to buy drugs on the darknet?
No, it carries significant risks including legal consequences, scams, and potential harm from unregulated drugs.
What payment methods are used for buying drugs on the darknet?
Cryptocurrencies, particularly Bitcoin, are commonly used due to their anonymity.
Can I be tracked if I buy drugs on the darknet?
While the darknet offers some level of anonymity, advanced tracking techniques can potentially trace transactions back to users.
What should I do if I suspect someone is buying drugs on the darknet?
It’s important to report such activities to local authorities, as they can take appropriate actions.
Buying drugs on the darknet encapsulates a world filled with both mystery and danger. Although it may seem appealing to some, the potential legal and personal consequences make it a perilous undertaking.
