Tim Bingham

Researcher emerging drug trends and on-line drug market places.

26th November 2014

Bray Drugs Awareness Conference

DRUGS & THE DARK NET

The ‘Deep Web’ is a secure and confidential

communication lines by encryption of computer IP

addresses using Tor anonymising software or web

proxy to the Tor network (http://tor2web.org ).

There is a shift toward widespread global availability of

all drugs which is evident in the recent online presence

of drug marketplaces

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

DRUGS AND THE HIDDEN WEB

•

•

2009

The drug store

A Figment Of Your

Imagination

Binary Blue Stars Open Vendor

Data Base

Tor Browser

launched

2002 Feb 2011

Silk

Road

The launch of Silk Road as a competing public drug

site was a challenge to the viability of OVDB, and

particularly as Silk Road received significant

publicity and attention.

Traffic to the site ‘soared’ and ‘demand for the

virtual currency drove up the value of one

bitcoin to more than $30’ within weeks of the

article’s publication Norris & Moses (2011)

Silk Road Vendors Advertising Page

OCTOBER 2013

NOVEMBER 2013

WHERE ARE WE NOW 2014

A DECENTRALISED MARKETPLACE

1. no one owns the network

2. platform for people to manage their own

trade online

3. No Commission and No Fees

HARM REDUCTION

Users and sellers alike can have the freedom

to be open and express themselves in ways

that are impossible in real life’.

Provided a space where people could discuss

drug safety, optimal dosing and harm

reduction. It creates a community of

individuals sharing their experiences and

knowledge on harm reduction information in a

non-judgemental environment where people

felt safe to discuss drug related issues due to

the anonymity of Tor. Matt Gleeson Stonetreeaus

• Relationships between vendors and consumers are based on

cyber levels of trust and professionalism, and supported by

‘stealth modes’, user feedback and resolution modes.

• ‘The advantage of Silkroad is your reputation is open to all. If

you mess someone around its reflected in your feedback and

ratings’. (Silk Road Vendor)

• Vendors on the market places able to offer higher quality products than those generally available on the street.

• Online drug distribution removes many of the middlemen involved in conventional drug supply chains

• Posted directly from producers to consumers.

• Customer feedback plays a crucial role in regulating online drug markets

• These market places also have the benefit of

reducing the presence of visible, open air drug

markets and reducing the risk of violence as the

drugs are sourced with anonymity with greater

levels of accountability when purchased.

• There are new opportunities for drug services to

interact with individuals who are accessing these

sites because as I observed they are often

isolated from mainstream drug services

THANK YOU

• Tim Bingham

• Email info@timbingham.ie

• 086 389 3530

• Twitter @binghaminfo