Fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid, has been responsible for a significant portion of drug-related deaths in recent years. With its potency and potential for abuse, fentanyl has become a sought-after substance on the dark web, where illicit goods are bought and sold anonymously.
The Rise of Darknet Markets
US And Europe Dismantle International Dark Web Drug Operation, Arrest 150
A server can be connected to the Tor network without its location being detected. On these markets, the co-conspirators advertised various controlled substances, including crystal methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills that the conspirators advertised as oxycodone. During the course of the conspiracy, the conspirators made over 1,300 sales of controlled substances over the darknet using these accounts, distributing at least 800 grams of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, 500 grams of methamphetamine, 16 grams of heroin, and 7 grams of cocaine. Dittman also operated her own vendor accounts on the darknet using the monikers “VirtualPeddler” and “Darkette”.
Darknet markets operate on encrypted networks, allowing users to browse and purchase a variety of illegal products, including drugs like fentanyl. These markets have gained notoriety for their role in facilitating the sale of dangerous substances and contraband items.
Fentanyl Sales In The Deep & Dark Web
Where Can You Find Fentanyl on Darknet Markets?
Several darknet markets have been known to sell fentanyl, catering to individuals seeking access to this potent opioid. Some popular darknet markets where fentanyl can be found include:
Correction: Emerging Drug Threat Story
To avoid blocking from the marketplace, we provided as an input to the scraper a session cookie that we obtained by manually logging into the marketplace and solving a Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart (CAPTCHA). However, some sites, namely, the Empire Market, forced users to log out when the life span of the session cookie was expired. In addition, we set parameters such as sleeping time to limit the speed of crawling.
- AlphaBay: AlphaBay was once one of the largest darknet markets before it was shut down by law enforcement. It was known for offering a wide range of illicit substances, including fentanyl.
- Empire Market: Empire Market is another darknet marketplace that has been reported to sell fentanyl among other drugs. It operates as a platform for vendors to list their products and buyers to make purchases using cryptocurrency.
- White House Market: White House Market is a newer darknet market that has gained popularity for its user-friendly interface and diverse product offerings. This includes fentanyl, making it a concerning platform for those combating the opioid crisis.
Duxbury et al [6] evaluated the role of trust in online drug markets by applying exponential random graph modelling to underground marketplace transactions. The results show that vendors’ trustworthiness is a better predictor of vendor selection than product diversity or affordability. Considering social media data (eg, Twitter and Instagram), Nasralah et al [14] proposed a text mining framework to collect opioid data from social media and analyzed the most discussed topics to profile the opioid epidemic and crisis.
New high-tech analyzers help USPIS field divisions quickly and safely scan for unknown and illegal drugs, like fentanyl. Now inspectors can test over 300 illicit substances without needing to open containers or plastic bags. The investigation of DarkMarket was spurred by another, much larger German police investigation into an organization called CyberBunker, which I wrote about in the magazine last year. In 2013, a polyglot group of programmers and hackers, under the leadership of an eccentric fifty-three-year-old Dutchman named Xennt, moved into a Cold War-era bunker near the picturesque town of Traben-Trarbach, in the Mosel Valley. The bunker had previously belonged to the German military, and it was designed to withstand a nuclear attack.
- The sentence follows a multiagency investigation involving Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Arizona.
- Quintana et al [16] and Fernando et al [17] presented the results of the international drug testing service for opioid commodities from the anonymous marketplaces and showed that most opioid substances contained the advertised ingredient and most samples were of high purity.
- AlphaBay, which was the largest dark net market before it was shut down by law enforcement agencies around the world last year, accounted for $94 million US in drug sales from September 2015 to August 2016, Tzanetakis’s paper says.
The Dangers of Purchasing Fentanyl on Darknet Markets
While darknet markets offer a level of anonymity, purchasing fentanyl from these platforms can be extremely risky. The lack of regulation and oversight means that buyers may receive counterfeit or adulterated products, leading to overdose and death.
The Justice Department also announced charges against Dmitry Olegovich Pavlov, 30, a resident of Russia who allegedly operated and oversaw the servers used to keep Hydra running. Pavlov faces charges of conspiracy to distribute narcotics and conspiracy to launder money. The study was conducted by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Arizona, Tucson, and the University of Maryland, College Park. As an emergency physician, I give fentanyl as an analgesic, or painkiller, to relieve severe pain in an acute care setting. My colleagues and I choose fentanyl when patients need immediate pain relief or sedation, such as anesthesia for surgery.
Law enforcement agencies are actively monitoring darknet markets to crack down on illegal activities, but the nature of the dark web makes it challenging to completely eliminate the sale of fentanyl and other dangerous substances.
In conclusion, the availability of fentanyl on darknet markets poses a significant threat to public health and safety. It is crucial for individuals to be aware of the risks associated with purchasing opioids online and seek help if they or someone they know is struggling with substance abuse.
