UNODC Tools and Programs to Address Illicit Online Drug

Sales on the Open and Dark Web

Cyberspace as an enabler: from darknet to social
media

Online trafficking trending upwards

• Traditional actors evolving/adapting their business model

• COVID-19 acts as an accelerator
• Increased worldwide connectivity
• Several attractive features for criminals
• Minimizes geographic impediments
• Access to global markets
• Pseudo-anonymous nature
• Assumed lower detection rate
• Low costs associated with online trafficking
• Cryptocurrency is the preferred method of payment
How drugs are sold online

Advertise
This method is applied to sale on
on the Darknet;
Clearnet
darknet markets, Clearnet sites,
social media platforms
Order
Online on the
darknet; clearnet

Drug traffickers also use

Payment messenger services and forums
Through
Cryptocurrencies to discuss and sell drugs.

Deliver
By post or drops
 Where drugs are sold online
Social media platforms
Vendors often use a variety of emojis,
hashtags and slang to advertise their
drugs on social media in messages,
tweets or usernames.
Messenger services
Drug traffickers use different types of
messenger with end-to-end encryption
to advertise and sell their products as
well as to communicate with buyers
sharing geolocation data
Darknet marketplaces
Part of the World Wide Web which cannot
be accessed using standard web browsers
such as Internet Explorer, Firefox, Edge or
Chrome. It operates inside specialized
encrypted networks to provide anonymity.
Clearnet platforms
The Clearnet hosts a number of
websites, blogs, forums and
marketplaces where a variety of
synthetic drugs can be advertised.
 Payment through cryptocurrencies

Cryptocurrency is the
preferred payment due to:

• Pseudo-anonymous nature
• Decentralized structure
• Large network of small
dealers, ATMs, and exchange
providers

NB! Privacy coins – offer greater anonymity – some darknet markets have stopped
accepting bitcoin and only accept privacy coins i.e Monero
The Global Programme on
Objective:
To provide technical assistance and training to Member
Sates to prevent and counter cybercrime

Central America Vienna HQ

International
Capacity building
Cooperation

Policy

Legal Framework Prevention

West Africa
Southeast Asia and the Pacific
 Capacity building
Training and mentoring

Threat analysis Early warning system

- darknet version

Training on UN toolkit on
cryptocurrency synthetic drugs –
investigations cybercrime module
 Threat analysis

Clearnet/social
media/messager
apps

Known Darknet
drop/delivery analysis/darkweb
methods forums

Regional analysis

UNODC reports
Synthetic drugs
and research on
and synthetic
synthethic drugs
opioids trafficking
and synthetic
routes
opioids

Use of
cryptocurrency for
criminal purposes
 Training and mentoring

In person/ Online training Who do we train?

• Law Enforcement officers
• Training on digital investigation • Judges
• Training on cryptocurrency • Prosecutors
investigation
• Training on darknet investigation
• Training on OSINT investigations

• Cybercrime
• Cryptocurrency
• Investigating online sexual
exploitation of children for
specialist investigators
• Crime Scene
investigations
• Intelligence analysis
Crypto: countering criminal threats

Trace

Understand Seize

Regulate
Early warning system on the Darknet

New Substances appear in the Darknet

BEFORE
the massive sales begin
The United Nations Toolkit on Synthetic Drugs
Cybercrime module
 Cooperation
It takes a network to defeat a network!
 Recommendations
Enhance cooperation, nationally,
regionally and internationally between
anti-drug agencies and specialist
cybercrime units.
Regular threat analysis will help states
to respond swiftly, across government,
to new challenges.
Increase specialist political, policy and
operational knowledge regarding
darknet networks, OSINT, social
media, cryptocurrencies and online
intelligence gathering.
Cultivate local capabilities within
the public, private and academic
sectors to encourage research on
darknet technologies, policies and
investigation techniques which are
proportionate, legal, accountable
and necessary within a broad
Human Rights and oversight
framework.
Apply cryptocurrency (virtual asset)
policy and regulations. The
regulation of cryptocurrency users
and exchanges, especially
employing the FATF virtual assets
risk-based approach guidelines, will
significantly assist in reducing the
anonymous transfer of funds.
 Thank you

Himal Ojha Stefanie Schmatz

Associate Cybercrime Programme Associate Drug Control and Crime
Officer Prevention Officer
himal.ojha@un.org stefanie.schmatz@un.org

@UN__Cyber @UN_OPIOIDS