The Internet and Drug Markets

In recent years, the internet has increasingly changed the way illicit drug markets work.  Since "Silk Road" (the first major online illicit drug marketplace) was shut down in 2013, a number of other similar sites have appeared on the encrypted "dark web". The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) has published a report on this issue, titled "The internet and drug markets."  The report provides an overview of online drug marketplaces and the cryptocurrency bitcoin.  it includes insights from interviews with users and vendors, perspectives from law enforcement as well as a look into what the future of these marketplaces might be.

Download "The Internet and Drug Markets" (2.4MB PDF)