The rise of darknet marketplaces is attributed to the increased adoption of digital currencies like Bitcoin. Darknet marketplaces use digital currencies as a mode of transaction to ensure anonymity of all the parties involved.
Lately, law enforcement agencies from across the world are trying hard to bring dark net drug dealers to book. They have been met with limited success as these marketplaces continue to evolve. However, there is a positive side to it as well.
European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction’s (EMCDDA’s) report shows that the increased proliferation of drugs on darknet marketplaces has increased the safety of drug users. The report, published recently states that it is hard to enforce the law on these marketplaces. These markets continue to evolve, always staying a step ahead of law enforcement. Anonymity associated with the darknet markets makes drug related transactions much safer than street-corner deals.
The anonymous nature of dealings on the darknet is also said to be the main factor influencing the quality of drugs. Drug marketplaces employ ratings and reviews for its sellers. These reviews are the only way to judge the reliability of a drug dealer and his product. In order to ensure positive reviews and more business, these drug dealers are forced to offer the best quality product to their customers. This prevents them selling cheap, low quality or spiked products, thereby reducing the risks associated with the administration of impure drugs.
European nations play a significant role in the international darknet drug market, says the report. It also states that the darknet forums, marketplaces, and chats also serves as a place for education towards safe drug use among the community.
The report also mentions a popular physician going by the name DoctorX. DoctorX whose real name is Dr. Fernando Caudevilla is part of Energy Control, a drug lab based out of Barcelona. He has been offering free service to the users of Silk Road to promote safe use and reduce the risks of recreational drug use (There are reports of Dr. Caudevilla handing over the operations of Energy Control to Ana Munoz, his colleague).
READ MORE: DoctorX Analyzes Recreational Drugs, Accepts Bitcoin Payments
While the darknet is inadvertently playing a role in reducing the risks associated with drug use, it is still illegal. The law enforcement agencies will continue to devise new methods to crack down on these sites and implement them too.
Read the full EMCDDA report here
Ref: DeepDotWeb | EMCDDA | Image: NewsBTC
