Fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid, has been responsible for a significant number of overdose deaths in recent years. While it is a prescription medication used for severe pain, it is also sold illegally on the darknet. But which darknet markets sell fentanyl? Let’s delve into this dangerous world.
“The courts haven’t seen much of it here in Canada. They’re fairly new kinds of investigations that police are just sort of understanding,” Lalande says. He says police are breaking new ground in the way they conduct investigations but would not provide details. “It opens [fentanyl] up to a market that probably wasn’t there before.”
Fentanyl’s Rise On Darknet Markets (and How To Stop It)
Understanding Darknet Markets
- Before being shut down, Silk Road 2.0 was shipping hundreds of kilos of illegal drugs, including opioids, around the world.
- Following the data trail, authorities descended on his residence and arrested him.
- The researchers estimate that those addresses received just over $27 million in transactions in the past five years, most since 2021, given that transactions have increased 450 percent in the past year.
- He imported and trafficked fentanyl analogues and other synthetic opioids through the dark web, including one controlled substance called U that he sold to an 18-year-old individual who died from an overdose after using the drug.
- Our research collected product listings and forum posts from 10 anonymous online market places and 6 forums.
- The charges against Khlari and Sasha Sirotkin were unsealed yesterday.
Darknet markets are online platforms that allow users to buy and sell a variety of illegal goods and services anonymously. These markets operate on encrypted networks and typically accept cryptocurrencies as payment, making it challenging for authorities to track their activities.
What Darknet Markets Sell Fentanyl?
TARGETING ADDITIONAL ILLICIT DRUGS ACTIVITY
Several darknet markets have been known to sell fentanyl, including:
- AlphaBay: AlphaBay was one of the largest darknet markets before it was shut down by law enforcement in 2017. It was notorious for selling a wide range of illicit drugs, including fentanyl.
- Empire Market: Empire Market is another popular darknet market that has been reported to sell fentanyl and other opioids.
- Dream Market: Dream Market was one of the oldest darknet markets, known for selling drugs like fentanyl until it was seized by law enforcement in 2019.
And most other similar websites are continuing to allow the sale of fentanyl. The risks of buying drugs from the dark web are “far too real and far too prevalent, and users never know which pill may be their last,” Abbate said. Officials said they collaborated with law enforcement agencies in Austria, France, Germany, Netherlands, Poland, Brazil, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. “Our message to criminals on the dark web is this, ‘You can try to hide in the furthest reaches of the internet, but the Justice Department will find you and hold you accountable for your crimes,’” Attorney General Merrick Garland said at a press conference in Washington.
Men Accused Of Selling Drugs On ‘darknet’ In Exchange For Bitcoin
Is Buying Fentanyl on Darknet Markets Safe?
No, buying fentanyl on darknet markets is extremely risky. Since these drugs are unregulated and of unknown purity, there is a high risk of overdose and death. Additionally, law enforcement agencies actively monitor these platforms and may arrest both buyers and sellers.
This makes the message really hard to read, if not impossible to read, by prying eyes. While historically there used to be things like E-gold and Liberty Reserve, something is far better than that now; cryptocurrencies. Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin are the perfect way to pay for things on the dark marketplaces. It’s easy to get, it’s legal to own, transactions are pretty quick, low fees, and it’s completely anonymous. During that time, you might check the paper like every day, once a day, once a week to see how things are going because that’s all you really had access to. You now have up-to-the-second data on stock prices, incredible tools to help you spot potential buys and endless YouTube videos of people teaching you how to do it.
Government Shared Services
How Can Authorities Crack Down on Darknet Markets Selling Fentanyl?
Law enforcement agencies around the world are constantly working to shut down darknet markets that sell fentanyl and other dangerous substances. They use advanced technology to trace cryptocurrency transactions, infiltrate these platforms, and arrest those involved in illegal activities.
In conclusion, while darknet markets may offer anonymity and convenience for purchasing illicit substances like fentanyl, the risks far outweigh any potential benefits. It is crucial to avoid these platforms and seek help if you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse.
