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Despite Silk Road’s high profile FBI bust in 2013, business is booming on the Dark Web. According to the Global Drug Survey’s 2016 report, Dark Web drug markets are continuing to grow as they enter their sixth year of trading. 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. Dr. Miotto found that hallucinogenic compounds advertised as research chemicals are popular on Dark Web sites.
Understanding the Dark Web
Purchasing meth from a dealer in the Netherlands feels as familiar and mundane as buying sheets from Macy’s. If the takedown of Silk Road taught us anything at all, it is that selling and buying drugs online is possible—and that these websites work. There are many imitators of this online drug arena, half of which derived directly from the Silk Road template. But now, the number of websites selling drugs illegally has increased exponentially.
- Given its anonymous nature, the dark web is also used for illicit and even illegal purposes.
- The ease with which people can buy large quantities of drugs is creating a system with mid-level drug dealers, said Dr. Miotto, who discussed the Dark Web at the recent California Society of Addiction Medicine annual meeting.
- His 20 years of writing, media, and communications work have included two top-tier universities (USC and UCLA), print and digital magazines, consulting firms, and technology companies.
- The dark web is a part of the internet consisting of hidden sites that aren’t indexed by conventional search engines.
The dark web is a part of the internet that is not indexed by standard search engines. It requires specific software and configurations to access, most commonly through Tor (The Onion Router).
Background On Dark Web Marketplaces
After you find your vendor, select your loot and pay the toll; it’s all about patience. Orders can take a few days to literal weeks to pass through customs and/or local postal services, so just be cool and wait it out. On the rare occasion something happens, vendors are usually pretty good about making sure you get your money’s worth. Everybody says that scooping up drugs on the internet is easier and safer than meeting up with sketchy dealers under less-than-ideal circumstances, but I almost want to disagree. Not because I don’t trust the internet, but because I feel like unless someone specifically told me to do what I’m about to tell all of you to do, my dumb ass would have never even considered it.
The Risks Involved
Engaging in activities on the dark web can be illegal and poses significant risks, including:
- Legal consequences: Purchasing drugs online is often illegal and can lead to severe penalties.
- Scams and fraud: Many sellers may not deliver products or may even defraud buyers.
- Personal safety issues: Sharing personal information can lead to identity theft or other criminal activities.
Alright boys and girls…you’ve downloaded Tor, covered your asses in every way possible, converted some dollaz to Bitcoins (or fragments of a Bitcoin, really), and now you’re ready to go buy your good times on the DarkNet. After you purchase your Bitcoins, I’d heavily suggest getting them filtered through a tumbler so that even if something bad does happen and they’re somehow intercepted, nothing can be traced back to you. A tumbler basically takes your coins and then transfers them to a variety of other people, while other peoples’ coins (in the identical amount), are sent back, untraceably, to you. However, she said this had also placed “additional pressures” on lawyers working in those courts and prosecutors.
Christin says the market’s exponential growth rate is starting to slow as it converges on its natural, relatively small, size. That makes it feasible for him to cultivate abandoned houses as drug delivery destinations. Most buyers just have the drugs shipped to their homes (especially if it’s a small amount) or to a friend’s house or PO box. A Quartz summer intern said that at his university, different frat houses had agreements to receive each other’s drug shipments. Thanks to the ratings systems, the product is more reliable and both sides are accountable.
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. The websites are clean, well organized, and easy to navigate; there are icons for online support, shopping carts, and order status. The bitcoin/dollar/euro exchange rate is often featured on a banner, much like a price ticker on a finance website.
The median price for cannabis today on the dark web is only $7.60 a gram in the US/Canada, which is about 45% lower than what the street price was in 2013, according to UN data. Synthetic drugs are harder to compare in price than cannabis, because of differences in purity. On the dark web vendors are likely to be more up-front about the purity of their product, because the system holds them accountable. As with many illegal commodities, the drug market does not function efficiently. According to UN data (and as Quartz has previously reported), huge price disparities exist across borders.
General Steps to Access the Dark Web
2Easy is a quickly-growing dark web marketplace that’s based around a similar concept as the Genesis Market. The market now has an established reputation among cybercriminals, which means that any stolen credentials for sale on there are likely to provide valid access to systems, services, or apps. Whatever your role in infosec, you probably know by now that dark web marketplaces offer budding and expert hackers various tools, data, credentials, ransomware, and malware for sale, with payment usually made via cryptocurrency. It’s in this underground landscape of shady buyers and sellers where dark web threats often lurk undetected until it’s too late and you suffer a breach. The few public references to the website are on Reddit forums or specialty tech blogs. But among users of the dark web, “WHM” was, for years, the go-to online marketplace for illegal drugs and fraudulent credit cards.
While understanding how to navigate the dark web is crucial, it often leads to illegal activities. For educational and informational purposes only, here are the steps to access it:
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Download Tor Browser:
Visit the official Tor Project website and download the browser.
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Set up a VPN:
Using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) can provide an additional layer of security.
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Access .onion sites:
These are specific websites accessible only through the Tor network.
How to Buy Drugs on the Dark Web
Purchasing drugs on the dark web is a complex process and is not encouraged due to the numerous risks involved. However, for those seeking information, here’s an outline of the steps typically involved:
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Find a reputable marketplace:
Marketplaces like Silk Road, AlphaBay, and many others operate in this space, though many are often taken down by authorities.
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Create an account:
You may need an email address and a strong password that doesn’t link back to your real identity.
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Use cryptocurrency:
Transactions are typically done using cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin for anonymity.
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Browse listings:
Once registered, you can browse through various sellers and their products.
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Select your product:
After thorough research and caution, choose the product you want to buy.
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Place an order:
Follow the marketplace’s process to complete the purchase.
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Secure your shipment:
Use discretion when providing shipping details. Consider sending items to a safe address.
FAQs
Is it legal to buy drugs on the dark web?
No, purchasing drugs is illegal in many jurisdictions, and engaging in such activities can lead to serious legal consequences.
What should I do if I get scammed?
If you fall victim to a scam, there’s often little recourse. Always use caution and trust your instincts.
Can I stay anonymous on the dark web?
While the dark web can provide some degree of anonymity, it is not foolproof. Law enforcement agencies have tools to track and apprehend individuals.
What are the dangers of buying drugs on the dark web?
The dangers include legal repercussions, financial scams, potential health risks from unknown substances, and personal safety issues.
While this article provides insights into the workings of the dark web and how drugs might be bought, it is crucial to reiterate that engaging in such activities should be avoided due to the myriad of risks involved.