Dark Web and Online Platforms

The problem statement

The general problem being investigated is the impact of technological advancement in promoting drug crimes through online platforms such as the dark web. The technology change has allowed criminals to share, disseminate information and conduct drug crimes with high security, privacy and anonymity of critical data. For instance, through the use of the dark web, criminals operate under pseudonyms where tracing the criminal information is nearly impossible. The technology also implements encrypted communication where the communication in transit is changed to computer language that humans do not comprehend. In this regard, the investigative agencies cannot trace the originality, context and intended destination. The other online platforms, such as cryptocurrency, use technologies where the money transactions cannot be traced (Chomczyński et al., 2023). Therefore, criminals no longer use traditional banking systems where they can be easily monitored. The dark web has a global reach where criminals can conduct their activities to any other party across the globe. The dark web and other online platforms provide secure marketplaces like e-commerce websites where customers can review available products, review services, refer customers and seek help from customer support. The transaction between the buyer and sellers is secure through safe escrow technology, where the buyer’s money is secured until they receive the drugs. The dark web platforms require experts to investigate, which can take years or months. The complications of using the dark web platform allow criminals to evolve and persist due to slow investigations.

Key issues

There are various vital issues the law enforcers and other relevant agencies must consider to combat drug crimes. The first issue is international cooperation, where nations must join hands and share information about drug crimes, particularly conducted through online platforms and the dark web. All nations must arrest and prosecute all drug traffickers using advanced technologies to facilitate the sales and production of illegal products. The other key issue is enhancing computer and IT expert skills and expertise to monitor, trace and arrest criminals using dark web to traffic drugs (Sahoo, 2023). Government agencies should develop more comprehensive laws and regulations that target dark web sites that facilitate drug trafficking. In this regard, a nation should create laws that equip investigative agencies with tools to penetrate and monitor activities on the dark web. In this connection, specific rules should also target cryptocurrency, facilitating the anonymity of finances and financial information. The goals to combat drug crimes in the dark web require the collaboration of international organizations, technological firms, and industries. The other key issue is to enhance skills through education, where students should be encouraged to take courses that enhance skills in online undercover operations. The specialized courses should provide skills in navigating the dark web effectively and gathering and identifying key players. The key issue is conducting community education and public awareness, where the citizens should be warned against using illegal products from the dark web. People should refrain from trafficking drugs since it has more negative effects on society, and they should be made aware of potential health hazards and legal and ethical consequences. The other issue of consideration is swift legal actions that require the development of courts specifically for prosecuting individuals who traffic drugs on the dark web. The law enforcers should ensure that dark web crime cases are solved promptly.

Research question

What are the roles played by online platforms and the dark web in facilitating the dissemination of drug crime information, resources, production, and sales of drugs, and do those advancements impact law enforcement to monitor, control, and regulate drug crimes? The research question requires a comprehensive data analysis from various potential sources. The first source is the law enforcement database bases and reports. The reports should consider analyzing information from international and national law agencies based on the number of arrests per year, investigation outcomes and prosecution data. The other sources include Interpol and Europol publications since they provide analyzed challenges, trends and advanced technologies that promote drug crimes. Data can also be gathered and analyzed from regulatory bodies and government agencies mandated to monitor the dark web and the criminal activities undertaken on the various online platforms. The other source is the peer-reviewed journals from Google Scholar, published within the last five years. Comparing results from multiple researchers will provide a better understanding of handling my research question. Getting data on open and close-ended quest questionnaires through interviews with law enforcement experts will be critical. The potential source of information is legal proceedings and court records involving high-profile drug trafficking, particularly in the dark web (Sudan et al., 2023). Cryptocurrency transaction analysis is only a potential source of information, particularly on popular sites like Bitcoin.

Throughout my project, I expect to identify trends in drug crimes, particularly on the online platforms and dark web. The information will be essential in preventing more drug crimes based on the trends. I also expect to identify the law enforcers’ challenges in combating drug crimes. The information will uncover loopholes and how to amend the laws to arrest and prosecute more drug traffickers. I expect to get criminal behaviour based on the impact of more advanced technologies. In this regard, I will pay more attention to people’s behaviour regarding encryption and the dark web. I expect to get data and provide comprehensive recommendations on laws, amendments, and policies to monitor the dark web and other online platforms used to conduct drug crimes.

References

Chomczyński, P. A., & Clark, T. W. (2023). Crime and the life course in another America: Collective trajectory in Mexican drug cartel dominated Communities. Justice Quarterly, 40(2), 291-314.

Sahoo, G. (2023). A Critical Analysis of the Dark Side of the Dark Web. In Advancements in Cybercrime Investigation and Digital Forensics (pp. 205-227). Apple Academic Press.

Sudan, H. K., Tai, A. M. Y., Kim, J., & Krausz, R. M. (2023). Decrypting the crypto markets: Trends of the Dark Web drug trade over a decade. Drug Science, Policy and Law, 9, 20503245231215668.