Today, almost every country worldwide faces forms of drug challenges, be it with drug trafficking or abuse. As we attempt to trace activity, communication challenges arise with drug dealers becoming increasingly careful and tech savvy. Drug trading is one of the common and central crimes found on the dark web. And as we investigate its frequently corrupt activity, the dark web serves as an eerie pathway to discovering where and how drug trades occur.

Drug dealing is a major part of the dark web, helping dealers maintain their and customers’ anonymity. One of the most dynamic online scenes for extreme crime, the dark web houses content ranging from ISIS execution videos, to child groomers, extremists, prostitutes, pedophiles, human traffickers, assassins for hire, and snuff movies.

An investigation on the dark web was conducted in attempt to track down a drug dealer selling MDMA on a dark website, with sales yielding deaths and high overdose numbers in various parts of the world. The investigation was carried out using WEBINT tactics, ranging from deep target analysis, to active HUMINT activity on the dark web with the goal to reach and speak to the dealer.
The virtual agent successfully convinced the dealer to meet for a sizeable drug exchange, ultimately leading to the dealer’s life long sentence to prison.
And while the dark web appears to be a seemingly anonymous online venue, creative means for gathering its intelligence and critical insights are growing and evolving daily.

Cobwebs’ dynamic and vast involvement in various drug trafficking and law enforcement projects has empowered its team with deep knowledge and insight. Our automated artificial intelligence tools help agencies recognize keywords and terminology used for drug trading, tailor-made for investigations, while identifying criminal drug activity on various layers of the web – surface, deep and dark.