Content
GAO agents attempted to purchase firearms from Dark Web and Surface Web marketplaces. In these attempts, agents did not disclose any information about whether they were prohibited from possessing a firearm. Specifically, GAO agents purchased and received an AR-15 rifle and an Uzi that the seller said was modified so that it would fire automatically. GAO provided referral letters to applicable law-enforcement agencies for these purchases to inform any ongoing investigations.
‘Dark Web’ Market For Illegal Guns And Drugs Grows
In recent years, the dark web has become a hotbed for illegal activity. One of the most concerning aspects of this hidden corner of the internet is the ease with which individuals can purchase firearms. Dark web gun sales are on the rise, and they pose a significant threat to public safety.
Although the dark web still accounts for just a fraction of all illicit sales online, it appears poised for rapid growth, according to the report. Law enforcement authorities arrested 150 suspects allegedly involved in selling and buying illicit goods on DarkMarket, the largest illegal marketplace on the dark web when it was taken down in January 2021. No country has jurisdiction over the internet, so simply having a website on the internet, whether it’s on the surface or dark web, is not illegal. While many deep web sites are undoubtedly used to facilitate criminal activity and other scams you should avoid, there are also plenty of legitimate dark web sites.
What is the Dark Web?
The dark web is a part of the internet that is not indexed by search engines and requires special software to access. It is often associated with illegal activity, as it provides a level of anonymity that is not possible on the surface web. The dark web is home to a variety of marketplaces where individuals can buy and sell all manner of illicit goods, including drugs, hacking tools, and firearms.
More From Digital Trends
The Rise of Dark Web Gun Sales
Dollars or euros are often exchanged for bitcoin, which are then used to make purchases on the sites. The digital currency is attractive because it’s convenient, and harder to track than traditional payment methods. It’s unclear who operates these sites, but it is obvious that they can make a lot of money. One site called “Silk Road 2” appears to have generated $6 million in monthly sales before it was shut down. Today, countless internet users try to gain entry into the Deep Web and the Dark Web.
The availability of firearms on the dark web has skyrocketed in recent years. According to a report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, there were over 1,000 listings for firearms on the dark web in 2019, up from just a handful in 2013. These firearms are often sold by unlicensed dealers, who are not subject to the same regulations as licensed gun stores. This makes it easier for individuals who are prohibited from owning firearms, such as felons and domestic abusers, to obtain them.
Berlin Mulls How To Further Strengthen Gun Laws After Munich Attack
The Dangers of Dark Web Gun Sales
The question of authenticity remains, with the seller claiming to just be a middle-man in the process, having had nothing to do with the theft of the painting. It can be challenging to tell if a painting is the real thing even when experts get the chance to run tests, but the fact it went missing recently makes a strong suggestion. Regardless of the truth, this must surely be one of the most unusual items to buy on the Dark web. Lindauer settled in New Zealand before he died in 1926, with some of his paintings ending up in the International Art Centre in the country. The painting in question, Chief Ngatai-Raure, was stolen earlier this year.
Dark Web Gun Trafficker From Nevada County Pleads Guilty To Unlawful Dealing In Firearms
The ease with which individuals can purchase firearms on the dark web poses a significant threat to public safety. These guns are often sold without any background checks, meaning that there is no way to ensure that they are not falling into the hands of individuals who are likely to use them for violent purposes. In addition, the anonymity of the dark web makes it difficult for law enforcement to track down those who are selling these guns, making it even more challenging to prevent gun violence.
What Can Be Done to Address Dark Web Gun Sales?
Addressing the issue of dark web gun sales will require a multi-faceted approach. First and foremost, law enforcement agencies must work to shut down marketplaces that are selling firearms illegally. This can be challenging, as the dark web is constantly evolving and new marketplaces can pop up quickly. However, by working together and sharing information, law enforcement agencies can stay one step ahead of those who are seeking to exploit the dark web for illegal purposes.
These devices convert semi-automatic Glock pistols into fully-automatic weapons. The seller was found to have imported and sold hundreds of the illegal devices. The continued links between the virual and physical worlds provide additional opportunities for authorities to detect online trafficking networks and interdict arms shipments arranged by these networks. That said, the improving quality and increasing availability of 3D-printers and other production technologies could eventually tip the scales in favor of online traffickers, with potentially dire consequences for export control regimes. Preventing this outcome will be challenging; the inherently dual-use nature of 3D printers and their numerous beneficial applications limit the types of controls that governments can impose on manufacturers, retailers and exporters. A judge told Robin Baxter that but for the timely intervention of the authorities an illegal firearm and bullets could have been passed on to criminals.
In addition, there are steps that can be taken to make it more difficult for individuals to purchase firearms on the dark web. For example, implementing stricter regulations on the sale of firearms online, such as requiring background checks and limiting the types of firearms that can be sold, could help to reduce the number of guns that are available on the dark web. Additionally, increasing funding for research into the dark web and developing new tools and technologies to track and monitor illegal activity on the dark web could also be beneficial.
- Firearms listings (42 percent) were the most common listings on the dark web, followed by arms-related digital products (27 percent) and others, including ammunition (22 percent).
- The referral links included listings for AlphaBay, Agora, Abraxas, Dream, and Valhalla.
- Before 22 July 2016, when an 18-year-old shot and killed nine people at the Olympia Shopping Centre in Munich, many people may not have imagined that firearms and ammunition could be so easily purchased illegally on the so-called dark web.
- The teenager was detained in a police operation at the Riverside retail park, in Coleraine, Northern Ireland, on Thursday morning.
- Twenty-nine refused on the grounds that they would not ship a firearm, and 27 refused after the undercover GAO agent “revealed” that they are prohibited from owning a gun.
The rise of dark web gun sales is a concerning trend that poses a significant threat to public safety. By taking a proactive approach to addressing this issue, we can help to ensure that the dark web does not become a breeding ground for gun violence.
