Fentanyl Has Taken Over America’s Drug Market Where Is It Coming From?
DEA experts attribute some of that to a long established demand for heroin in those parts of the country. With fentanyl deaths rising and the discovery of new networks, U.S. authorities are trying to figure out how to weed out the drug deliveries from the nearly 500 million international packages coming into the country’s five U.S. mail inspection facilities each year. Drug dealers have used fentanyl analogs as an adulterant in illicit drug supplies since 1979, with fentanyl-related overdoses clustered in individual cities. As the chief of medical toxicology at UMass Chan Medical School, I have studied fentanyl and its analogs for years. As fentanyl has become ubiquitous across the U.S., it has transformed the illicit drug market and raised the risk of overdose.
Vendors and customers on these platforms have historically used cryptocurrencies for drug transactions. For instance, Silk Road, a darknet market launched in 2011, was home to some of Bitcoin’s early adopters. The first major anonymous online market, Silk Road, emerged seven years ago and quickly gained the attention of media, government authorities and law enforcement, according to a research paper published last month by the International Journal of Drug Policy.
- These partnerships highlight the Biden-Harris Administration’s strengthened whole-of-government offensive to save lives by disrupting illicit fentanyl supply chains around the globe.
- Another operator, Xiobing Yan, is accused of running at least two chemical plants in China capable of producing ton quantities of fentanyl and selling the drugs to U.S. customers online.
- Anne Milgram, who leads the Drug Enforcement Administration, said the illegally sold drugs are contributing to an alarming trend in the U.S. “These are the drugs that are driving the overdose crisis in America, with 250 people dying each day,” she said.
- DEA experts attribute some of that to a long established demand for heroin in those parts of the country.
- We believe that the findings and pattern analyses presented here, which place concentration on the supply side, might suggest a new direction to focus and will serve as a useful complement to current research conducted within the domain of addiction medicine.
They saw this was somewhere people could go to for help and advice and it was a place where admins and moderators would help out buyers and vendors to give them tips on how to do things better or stay safe and secure on the dark web. It also seemed to be an area where any disputes between users of the site could be dealt with and sorted out. The availability of controlled substances is mediated through two broad and interrelated distribution types. Social supply between friends and acquaintances relies on a moral economy of sharing and reciprocity [1]. Transactional commercial supply in contrast emphasises profits and market-mediated relationships, and sometimes validates predation and exploitation [2].
Understanding Darknet Markets and Fentanyl
The rise of the internet has given way to various platforms, some of which operate outside the legal boundaries. Darknet markets have become notorious for their facilitation of illegal trade, including the sale of highly dangerous substances like fentanyl.
Said that he received his in, like, a cleaning product I think, something like an Ajax can, and from the outside it just looked exactly like a cleaning product and you would have had to open it up to see what was inside. He showed me the little nasal spray mister that he sends and it does looks like something you would buy at CVS or Walgreens; it has a little label and it looks totally innocuous. And he said he had anxiety issues and [that] starting to use these exotic opioids relieved his stress, and he has kind of a blue-collar job that doesn’t pay the bills.
What is Fentanyl?
If you know someone who’s mailing illegal drugs or has received them, alert Postal Inspectors. Veteran crime fighters know that in many cases old fashioned “gumshoe” tactics are needed to make arrests. That kind of on the ground legwork by police and federal agents is what led to the Midway Airport arrests and fentanyl seizure. And while fentanyl is currently the primary problem for federal agents, not all drug deals move through the dark web. This week’s accumulated seizures of drugs, high velocity weapons and arrests of nearly 300 people on three continents makes the worldwide bust the largest-ever targeting fentanyl and opioid trafficking.
“This case is a result of diligent efforts by a team of U.S. and international investigators to target one of the largest darknet marketplaces in the world.” Those Chinese chemical companies do in some cases sell products other than fentanyl precursors, Elliptic’s Robinson notes, and he concedes that blockchain analysis can’t tell the difference between those sales and the sales of fentanyl ingredients. Some also sold precursors to amphetamines, methamphetamines, and other opioids.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is significantly more potent than morphine. Often prescribed for severe pain management, it has become a major concern due to its potential for abuse and the risk of overdose.
Duclos, convicted of selling drugs in 2001, was found with an automatic weapon when authorities searched his Norwich apartment in February. As postal inspectors watched a dark web drug trafficker’s profile last fall, they saw the highly-rated dealer’s transactions climb on the nefarious marketplace. “Research cited in the report shows that when one darknet market is taken down another takes its place, having no effect on the overall scale of the drug market,” he said.
Mackey et al [13] collected tweets related to the opioid topic to identify illicit online pharmacies and study the illegal sale of opioids in online marketing. Cherian et al [12] gathered codeine misuse data from Instagram posts to understand how misuse is happening and its misused form. Recently, Balsamo et al [11] used a language model to expand vocabularies for opioid substances, routes of administration, and drug tampering on Reddit data from 2014 to 2018 and investigated some important consumption-related aspects of the nonmedical abuse of opioid substances.
What Darknet Markets Sell Fentanyl?
Numerous darknet markets cater to the demand for fentanyl. These markets are often hosted on the Tor network, requiring specific software to access. Some of the prominent ones include:
- AlphaBay – A well-known platform that offered a variety of drugs, including fentanyl, before its shutdown.
- Hydra – A leading Russian darknet market that has dealt extensively with various opioids.
- White House – Specializes in a broad spectrum of illicit substances, including fentanyl derivatives.
- Silk Road 3.0 – A revival of the original Silk Road that focuses on the sale of drugs, including fentanyl.
How Fentanyl is Marketed on Darknet
Fentanyl sold on darknet markets typically comes in various forms, such as:
- Powdered Form – This is often packaged and sold in small quantities.
- Pills – Counterfeit pills may be manufactured to resemble legitimate medications but contain lethal amounts of fentanyl.
- Liquid Form – Some vendors offer fentanyl in a liquid state, making it easy to administer.
Risks Associated with Purchasing Fentanyl on Darknet Markets
Purchasing fentanyl from darknet markets comes with significant risks, including:
- Legal Consequences – Engaging in illegal purchases can lead to severe legal ramifications.
- Health Risks – The potency and purity of the product cannot be guaranteed, leading to a high risk of overdose.
- Fraud – There is a risk of being scammed, where you might not receive the product at all.
FAQs
What are the typical prices for fentanyl on darknet markets?
Prices can vary significantly based on the vendor and the form of fentanyl. Generally, a gram of fentanyl can range from $50 to $200.
How can one ensure safety when navigating darknet markets?
While there are no foolproof methods, utilizing strong privacy protections, like VPNs and encrypted communications, is advised. However, engaging in such activities always carries inherent risks.
Is fentanyl sold in combination with other drugs on darknet markets?
Yes, fentanyl is often mixed with other substances, which can increase the risk of overdose if users are unaware of its presence.
The darknet continues to be a hub for illicit activities, and the sale of fentanyl exemplifies the dangers associated with unregulated drug markets. Awareness and education on these issues are critical in combating the opioid crisis and protecting public health.
