Illegal Drug Sales Surge Online

[RoadWarrior]

Illegal sales of drugs surge thanks to a huge rise of social media and greater Internet access from mobiles. Apparently, criminal gangs are now increasingly using social media in order to sell “lifestyle” drugs at minimal risk and cost. For example, in 2014, the UK regulator had seized 1.2m doses of illegally supplied erectile dysfunction drugs, 330,000 doses of sleeping pills, tranquillizers and antidepressants, and 380,000 slimming products – most of them originated from China and India. Moreover, the watchdog pursued YouTube accounts and removed over 18,000 videos directing viewers to websites that offer illegal drugs.

Today, many criminal gangs trade drugs online, claiming to be real pharmacies and offering medicines that people might be reluctant to discuss face-to-face, like Viagra, slimming pills and hair loss treatments. It was also noticed that sales of anabolic steroids and cognitive enhancers are rocketing online.

The criminal groups have moved into the area of prescription drugs because they are more profitable than narcotics like cocaine, heroin and cannabis, with the lower risks. They use various approaches to earn from prescription drugs, including manufacture of fake pills from various powders, including harmful ones, repackaging discarded out-of-date drugs with fresh dates, or selling cheap generic drugs packaged as top-brand medicines.

In the UK, the regulator cooperated with Internet domain registries, credit card companies, Interpol and major social media – YouTube, Amazon and eBay – to identify illegal traders. Unsurprisingly, the raids have found drugs ready for shipment stored in appalling conditions.