The Days of the Conventional Drug Dealer May Be Numbered

Back in the olden days, many who were involved in the drug trade put their lives on the line – risking violent retribution from rival drug dealers, or the prospect of a lengthy prison sentence if any of their associates ‘ratted’ them out.

But it seems the days of the ‘conventional’ drug dealer are numbered: a new report published by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction suggests that more and more drug users are purchasing online following the proliferation of “dark net” marketplaces, which claim to “guarantee” anonymity.

So what will the online drug trade mean for users and suppliers – and how will it revolutionise the ways in which authorities deal with industry?

The Growth of Online Marketplaces

The digital age has seen an explosion in online drug markets – with the most notorious being The Silk Road, which was launched in 2011 and eventually shut down by the FBI in 2013.

But although authorities were quick to shut down The Silk Road, many other online drug marketplaces have taken its place – including Atlantis and Black Market Reloaded.

Online drug markets have revolutionised the way in which drugs are bought and sold. They do not have a physical location, rely heavily on encrypted network systems such as Tor – which facilitate anonymous communication between users – and use untraceable ‘cryptocurrencies’ such as Bitcoin – thereby minimising some of the risks associated with ‘street’ trading.

Online drug trading also offers additional benefits: according to the report, drugs sourced through darknet markets are generally purer than those bought off the streets, because online sellers rely on positive feedback to secure future customers.

On top of this, the report suggests that many street dealers have also benefitted from the online drug trade – with around a quarter of all online drug transactions being for larger, wholesale quantities. This suggests that street dealers are increasingly relying on online markets to source their product.

But the fact that online sellers post out drugs carries its own risks – and that it is impractical to source large quantities in this way.

Risks of Online Trading

Authorities are becoming increasingly aware of online drug markets, and have started cracking down on the masterminds behind these platforms. In August 2015, 21 people were arrested and charged with drug supply in Sydney after police spent two months investigating dark web trading platforms.

The outcome is being hailed as a significant win for police, who have promised to ramp up efforts to prosecute online dealers. Detective Chief Inspector Stuart Bell says police are now better equipped to deal with the dark web, saying:

‘Technology has allowed drug suppliers to shift their focus out of public view and away from particular geographic areas; enabling them to engage with users in the online environment…

We will continue to target the supply of illegal drugs using various methods, whether that is online or within the community.’

These sentiments are echoed by law enforcement agencies around the world. The European Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, Dimitris Avramopoulous, recently told the media that:

‘The illicit market is evolving, and so should our efforts to eliminate it. We should stop the abuse of the internet by those wanting to turn it into a drug market…

Technology is offering fresh opportunities for law enforcement to tackle online drug markets and reduce threats to public health. Let us seize these opportunities to attack the problem head-on and reduce drug supply online.’

And, as history shows us, online drug markets are notoriously short-lived. A multitude of markets have emerged since the original Silk Road was dismantled in 2013 – most of which are closed down soon after commencing operations.

Atlantis, launched in March 2013, was shut down just six months after opening; while the Black Market Reloaded – tipped to be the best thing since The Silk Road – was also closed down soon after it opened.

Despite authorities catching on, many drug law experts believe that the proliferation of online markets is more evidence that the war on drugs is futile. Steve Rolles, a spokesperson from the Transform Drug Policy Foundation, says it is a matter of simple economics:

‘If half a century of drug enforcement shows anything it’s that whilst demand remains, the market will always find a way to meet that demand while a profit opportunity exists…

The best enforcement can achieve is to displace markets, it can’t eradicate them. The darknet is just the latest chapter in a 50-year game of cat and mouse – that the drug warriors can never win.’

As one site shuts down, there are many others to take its place – suggesting that the growth of only drug marketplaces will continue into the future, using ever-more sophisticated encryption technologies to stay one step ahead of law enforcement.

Ugur Nedim About Ugur Nedim
Ugur Nedim is an Accredited Specialist Criminal Lawyer and Principal at Sydney Criminal Lawyers®, Sydney’s Leading Firm of Criminal & Drug Defence Lawyers.

Show Comments

Comments are closed.