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Shopping on The Dark Web: Pure Drugs and Plastic Explosives
As the first Silk Road criminal conviction was brought about last week, I decided to see what kind of goods could really be bought and sold there. Here's what I found...
When storming through the Ethernet cable and into government servers to pilfer top secret documents, hacker groups such as Anonymous and LulzSec need a place to lay low after doing it “for teh lulz” in order to plan their next mission without being watched by the authorities. So where do they go when the work is done? The truth is it’s a place shared with arms dealers, terrorists and drug traffickers. Welcome to the world of the “Dark Web”, a secretive fold within the internet where you can buy automatic machineguns and kilos of cocaine using a currency that no government in the land can regulate, all via an ecommerce site known as “Silk Road”.
I’ve managed to access the Dark Web to see what can really be purchased on the notorious Silk Road website. Although Rupert Murdoch’s remaining newspapers have been hammering home the idea that it’s an Amazon for criminals, it’s actually more of an eBay for lunatics, gun enthusiasts, drug users, small time arms dealers and some very interesting people.
Getting in is not the easiest thing to do, but you don’t need to be anywhere near as tech savvy as the papers would have you believe. At school I spent IT lessons trying not to get caught playing Gold Miner and my final project was Microsoft’s Wikipedia page copy-and-pasted onto one PowerPoint slide – I managed to access Silk Road in about 15 minutes.
It’s actually more of an eBay for lunatics, gun enthusiasts, drug users, small time arms dealers and some very interesting people.
Firstly you have to download a program known as Tor (The onion router), which basically opens the gateway into this untraceable internet within the internet that is the Dark Web. The Tor client allows you to stay hidden in a virtual secret hideout by relaying its traffic through network upon network of servers situated all over the world. This apparently makes it almost impossible to trace the user’s true location and identity and was created specifically for this purpose. The irony of Tor is that the US Navy actually funded the project in its infancy, and now the FBI is trying to shut it down.
After finding the .onion Dark Web address for Silk Road, I typed it into the browser Tor opens once it’s been loaded and hit enter. At first you’re greeted with an almost blank webpage with a few boxes on it and a captcha. It’s quite straightforward though, I signed up as Cult Leader (as you do) and was instantly given access to Silk Road and all its illegal glory.
Silk Road Front Page – Click to enlarge
Aesthetically, Silk Road looks like something you could create using Notepad and a fairly vague knowledge of HTML, but in a way this adds to the intrigue of it – you can almost tell it’s been made in a darkened basement by geeks in ski-masks with switch screen monitors and knuckle duster belt buckles.
It doesn’t take long to see the appeal of Silk Road for so many of its users. You can literally buy everything from genuine British passports, crystal meth and C4 explosives to lock picks, 999 gold bullion bars and flick knives disguised as house keys – all without stepping foot outside onto the estate. Being a fully online service gives customers the reassurance that they’re not going to get bashed over the head and left with their pockets turned out upon purchase, which is most likely why Silk Road is so successful.
You can literally buy everything from genuine British passports, crystal meth and C4 explosives to lock picks, 999 gold bullion bars and flick knives disguised as house keys.
To start off my imaginary criminal shopping spree, I browsed Silk Road’s weapons site: “The Armoury”. Here vendors are selling mostly guns and ammunition, such as a Polish self-assemble AK47 machine gun for 207 Bitcoins, which is roughly $1000 in the current market (the value of Bitcoin fluctuates massively).
Fake New York City drivers license – Click to enlarge
But amongst the Glock 19 handguns and rounds of Luger ammunition was 6lbs of C4 plastic explosives for $104 from a guy who claims to be “pretty big in black marketing” in New Zealand. I messaged him asking if there was any way to obtain more than just 6lbs. The conversation is as follows:
Me: I was just wondering if there would ever be a possibility of buying C4 in bulk, as opposed to just 6lbs worth.
C4 salesman: Yeah sure, I have another buyer looking at 25lbs though, so it may take a bit longer for yours to arrive. How much do you need? I am willing to lower the price per pound on a larger purchase.
Something like 100 lbs, how long would that take? Is it genuine C4 though? Like proper explosives?
Shit that’s loads… you taking out China? I would suggest an a-bomb instead. No but that is a lot of C4! What the fuck are you trying to do? I won’t tell the cops or anything, I’d be put away for life. It’s genuine, at that much I’ll chuck in some free blasting caps and detonation cord.
Between me and you, I’m preparing for the zombie apocalypse. It’s coming bro… it’s coming.
I dunno if you’re serious, but either way, sure, go ahead and spend shitloads of money on C4. Also, the best way to take out zombies (in my opinion) is making a pool-like moat around your house filled with sludge: 1 part water, 1 part sugar and 1 part salt. It will destroy the flesh (optional). Also keep a machete, a crowbar, a handmade wooden shield or a hubcap, fly spray (they may carry disease, if that’s the cause of the zombies, and it is highly toxic/flammable stuff), matches, canned beans, a flare gun (optional), a parachute for escapes when you are cornered at a height, rotten meat as a distraction, and a cyanide pill because you don’t wanna die by being ripped apart. A cyanide pill is better (I can actually supply cyanide). I made the list myself, but I’m keeping it because it’s actually quite good. Bullets will just go through them, don’t even bother.
Buying C4 on Silk Road – Click to enlarge
After shooting the bull with the C4 salesman I browsed the rest of his goods which included blowpipe tranquiliser darts, 50ml of Chloroform, a Yugoslavian M59 assault rifle and even a guide on “How to Make Someone Feel Bad” with the description: “I count this under weaponry as it is an attack on the mind” – nice guy.
I then strolled back along Silk Road to the drugs section of the site which is generally considered the main attraction and seems to be the most lucrative for merchants by far. Here you can purchase pure Afghan heroin for $255 a gram, crystal cocaine flakes straight from South America and every kind of methamphetamine, hallucinogen and prescription drug you can imagine. All of which is sent through the post and via airmail to anywhere in the world.
“That is a lot of C4! What the fuck are you trying to do? I won’t tell the cops or anything, I’d be put away for life.”
In a strange way Silk Road is actually doing drug users a good service, because out on the road where dealers will jab a needle in your neck for a bag of pennies or cut their pills with everything from crushed glass to rat poison, you can never really gauge someone’s drug dealing reputation. People are going to take drugs; nothing will ever prevent that, so having a site where they can actually see how good a dealer’s product is by ratings from previous customers, can mean the difference between dying from a dodgy pill and having a great high. And if the worst comes to the worst and the vendor somehow manages to turn on you, a computer virus is a lot less painful than a chest full of burning buckshot.
However, as helpful as it might be to customers, the ratings system is actually one of the most disturbing factors of Silk Road. Here you can see drug addicts rating their last purchase of heroin or Oxycontin or worse. Comments like “great hit, knocked me straight out!” and “this shit is so good I pissed myself after one bowl” are hard to read when only a link away from clean syringes and guides on how to chase the dragon.
Some of the drugs on sale – Click to enlarge
As much as the wannabe outlaw in me finds the idea of Silk Road quite exciting, the truth is the guns sold on this site could be used to kill innocent people, and the drugs could be reaching some kid in the suburbs who might not have known how to get hold of them had he not gained access to Silk Road. But it boils down to more than crack rocks, bullets and homemade LSD tabs, Silk Road is an inevitable 21st century creation – guns, drugs and counterfeits are everywhere and for some reason people are shocked that they’re now on the internet as well.
Other stories you might like…
Outlaws Inc: Delivering Drugs, Guns And Gold With The World’s Most Dangerous Smugglers
The Cop That Threw Away His Badge
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COMMENTS
That conversation with the C4 dealer is one of the most terrifying things I've ever read. Great piece Jake
Great article indeed. Getting this sort of stuff via the postal system sounds really dodgy to me.Excuse my ignorance, but I am going to have to google bitcoins and find out what they are and how to wash them :)
Cheers lads.
And yeah I'm pretty sure that C4 guy was genuine. In his feedback other people had bought it and it had arrived okay.
Well that's my Christmas shopping sorted... I'm pretty much a libertarian when it comes to drugs but the arms shit is absolutely fucking terrifying. Great piece Jake.... Did your C4 turn up in the end? ;)
Sign me up for the hash, good god it's been a while, everything is so goddam green everywhere.
Great article haha love the zombie invasion discussion. Aside from ethics etc. practical drawbacks i've found are: -new buyers have to 'finalize early' which means they have to leave good feedback initially before the items arrived so the rating system is flawed -bitcoins are a pain to get and require installing further programs. also btc being a new cyber currency its value fluctuates erratically. so you can lose money on them and pay a commission in the process of getting them so you spend more than you think.
Great article. Bit mental that like. Can i order a Scud and have it delivered (par avion) to Piers Morgan?
True stories Pete, but the easiest way to get Bitcoins is to actually pay for them (strange I know).
I think it's fantastic that one of your main issues with the site is value for money Pete. Great article Jake. Let me know when you're next about. J
Looool yeah true. Cheers mate. Yeah will do!
i like the part when you forgot to block out the C4 salesman's username at the bottom of the pic. Lazy. I especially like all the editorials you put in there too. Top notch journalism. Did you read the article on wired and decide you'd just regurgitate it?
crappy article... sure it titillates the unknowing who find this kind of stuff fascinating but for someone who is a vendor on Silk Road all I can say is 'you got it wrong' There are no guns or C4 sold on Silk Road... all that stuff is sold at The Armory. Lets be honest... the majority of the population gets high on something... silk road gives you the opportunity to buy what you want from a ranked seller versus driving to a side of town NO ONE wants to go to and worry about having a gun thrust in your face. Yes you can buy Heroin, coke, weed, meth, mdma, etc... off Silk Road but honestly if your drug of choice is dank bud then the rest of the offerings are not going to be that enticing. If your looking for nuclear weapons, kiddy porn, cyanide or counterfeit money then skip Silk Road... they don't exist on there. However if you want super dank bud dripping with trichomes then come see Trustus Jones!! I got you!!
So there really is a free internet, thank all the Gods. Its not just guns and drugs, there is more to lose by all the controls being proposed and applied. There will always be a source of guns and drugs, even if the internet was completely shut down.
haha the sites currently got a countdown to 420
Having items delivered to your door.. ok so c4 is shipped airmail. It goes through borders. It has your address on it. It arrives. Flawed? Anyway Jake, very good article. I enjoyed reading it.
@Trustus Jones I clearly said in the article that it was on the Armoury where I found the guns. The Armoury used to be a part of Silk Road anyway and is run and owned by the same people so let's not try to pretend it's different. I suggest you read the article properly, you're preaching to the converted, I'm one of the first to write about Silk Road and mention the positive side of not getting robbed/stabbed/shot on the street by having it online.
@tony Not lazy, it's called a mistake, thanks for pointing it out. I haven't read the Wired one but I did read the Times one and even mentioned it in this article if you read it. The fact that I wanted to see what was on there and write about it doesn't mean I've regurgitated anything, mine is quote different from a lot of articles on Silk Road, cheers.
As long as the sellers allow payment via Paypal so you can raise a claim in case the Russian arms dealer/Bolivian drug runner turns out to be dodgy it sounds like a 'win' all round to me!
Wow, an article without tedious fear mongering for a change. Kudos. I myself don't think Armoury makes it easier to kill people. Killing people are already easy. Regardless of their mental stability, people who commit massive violent acts are resourceful people, they will always find a gun or an explosive or another ingenious device to cause harm. This will at most increase the candidates for Darwin Awards. I would be more worried about kids trying out drugs that they normally wouldn't. I actually don't think it's dangerous, but depending on the environment it can be. I think it's my own responsibility to know and educate my children about this, so I don't really mind. I actually find it positive and might one day try it out with my kids. But some others won't, for sure.
But did you actually buy anything?! For me personally, this article is lacking follow through to end result, therefore, not really proving that informative.
you can make more money by mash'n some 911 vids - but hay, hark on about dark web coz it sure beats the real fact that your paying for fear. More over, watch out becasuse the people who live in poverty for a fake fear wont do it forever and there will be payback (perhaps silk road is already a form of that a - given the major sites support massive crime gangs who produce fake products)
top article and really good to see how you've come on as a writer. Loved your early boxing articles so good to see you developing into a top journalist, look forward to more
@Adam: Watch this ... "I have no idea why someone whould have sent me a package like that, heavens me!" Usually they'd follow the money but ... Bitcoin. LOL.
The best review I've seen on there was for crystal meth: "this shit was so good I fucked my dog"
Maybe it's because I live in NYC, but everything listed on Silk Road I can get from walking down the street, hopping in a cab, or getting on a subway. Want heroin or Fake ID's? Shoot down to ChinaTown. Need coke or crack? Take the subway over to Washington Heights. Want guns? Take a cab uptown to Harlem. Porn? Plenty of spots by MSG. E Pills or LSD? Check out UnderNYC.com to find out where the nightly rave is. Weed? Ask any random hippie looking dude walking down the street. Bongs, pipes, or rolling papers? Hit up the Village. Hookers? Go over by the West Side Highway. Fact of the matter is, if you're not living in the boonies, you can buy any of these things in your nearest city. The difference between that and Silk Road? When your 17 year old punk kid gets curious (and he will!), instead of him getting robbed or murdered because he's somewhere that he doesn't belong, and everyone around there knows it, he can SAFELY order it to your house. It's amazing how naive most people are.
Silk Road is closed kids nothing to see here move along
@jack Cheers mate, really trying and feel like I've come a long way since then, glad you've noticed. @NYCKID Did you read the article? You're basically saying the same thing as I have in it.
NYCKid The benefit of the silk road is that the gear is peer reviewed and you don't have to associate with drug dealers. In London I struggle to buy acid and would prefer not to go to the kind of psytrance events where it can be purchased, as such the silk road is a tailor made solution.
@Coco Bryce "prefer not to go to the kind of psytrance events"....You don't like the music? @BladeMcCool "I have no idea why someone whould have sent me a package like that, heavens me" .....If it was something as serious as C4 your front door would be kicked in and all the incriminating evidence is sitting on your hard drive.
Great article as usual from you!
Other than delivery, it seems a great site and if you set your browser to private, then none of your internet history is recorded. In any case, I will be ordering some lovely stuff off there at the weekend and will post back to let you know how I get on. If I get nabbed, I will tell the filth that Jake told me to do it.
Kane, just tell them Mr. Green sent you, all will be forgotten. I have an insider... joke. Joke?
how does C4 and drugs get past airport customs
Jake - I don't work very hard, so I read a lot of online media. and like a sucker I read a lot of comments. Most commenters are wankers. If I were you I would do my best to avoid the below the line bit altogether. If you do get enticed in I'd say only engage with the non-knobheads. There's an endless stream of trolls and twats, it'll only end in swearing at the computer and getting pissed off. That's my two penneth worth - feel free to ignore!
Cheers Tony, sound advice. If someone reads the article and has an opinion though I don't like to just ignore it as it will seem like I think I', holier than thou or something. But yeah I think getting involved with the trolls is a bad idea. Cheers.
This article is hilarious. He doesn't even understand how this works. First off the silkroad doesn't handle weaponry of any type. You are thinking of a separate site reffered to as "The Armory" Second, if had done any research whatsoever you would know that 90% of what is on the armory is a scam. Get your facts straight and get behind gawker.
btw mr cont. anybody that literally decides they should buy c4 probably have a few ways to avoid getting caught. Also most people that buy this s*** buy multiple times to assure that some of it makes through customs think about it why buy c4 if your gona get caught amazing article jake
Dear John, read the article. "I browsed Silk Road’s weapons site: “The Armoury”." It does quite clearly say it's a different site, but they are related sites. So you managed to download an onion browser and now you think you're the shit, news flash you ain't. The site itself is ok, if slow (oniion network) but the exchange rate of Bitcoin (1BC = £4.2 - £5.50ish)and the availability of Bitcoin do make it a little on the pricey side, more to discourage the 'day tripper'. There are cheaper sites but I'll let 'John' use his skillz to find them for himself.
wonder whats in the home and garden section
I've bought hash there many times over the course of the last year, and have NEVER been disappointed with whatever I've purchased. I rank SR as one of my favourite sites EVER
I have to say as easy as it is for users to look at silk road or start selling on the website, It's just as easy for law enforcement to do the same. With drugs there is a lot of people buying and rating all the time-I'm not so sure the same can be said about buying C4. This could be why there is positive feedback for the C4 guy. Totally crazy if he is really selling C4 to the public for any cause with cash.
is this website still up and running and if so can you email how to access this and see this for myself i would have to say hash my mail could be heavenly
Nice article. I actually think Silk Road is not all that much of a threat. Like you said: guns, drugs, counterfeits, and weapons are everywhere. The important thing to remember is that anyone determined enough to commit an act of terrorism with say that 100lbs of c4 is probably going to do it wheter or not he can get the c4 on silk road. Terrorist organizations would never use Silk Road because the chances of being caught are mucgh too high compared to their personal contacts that they traditionally use. All of this is moot anyway since Silk Road no longer sells any kind of weapon. As far as drugs go, its one of the best things that can happen. ANyone that wants to use drugs can use drugs, they are literally everywhere. Silk Road at least makes it possible for users to buy relatively safe drugs (as opposed to cut drugs) without the risk of using a street dealer. Also the less street dealers the less street violence in general as almost all violence on the street has to do with drug trafficking/selling. By buying drugs on Silk Road everyone (users, dealers, innocents, and cops) are safer and like I said earlier, you can get drugs anywhere so its not like Silk Road increases drug use. I think it will be up for a while now that they no longer sell weapons. It really makes no sense for authorities to focus on shutting it down just because of the drugs, it would be a lot more effective to put those resources into stopping drugs from being smuggled into the US and other countries in the first place because most of the drugs sold on Silk Road were at some point smuggled into the country. Also, unless they find a way to quickly take down any tor hidden service, new sites will take over as soon as one is shut down.
Interesting article but heavily flawed. I have several friends in law enforcement and when I brought up this subject, they all laughed. To sum up what they told me. A large percentage of people/groups are in fact law enforcement stings, set up to catch the big dealers. Whether selling or buying. One off buyers of small amounts of drugs are ignored, whereas those who order a lot are monitored and arrested later. Weapons on the other hand are removed from circulation, with their respective sellers either arrested or turned into moles so they can inform on those who procured the weapon in the first place. But that being said there is still a percentage that get through.
If you believe your cop friends than fair enough, but a lot of law enforcement agencies are "laughing it off" simply because it's very hard to stop. I spoke about this to high ranking police officer a few months back and he had no idea what I was talking about. Do you have evidence to back up the police mole intercepting the majority of Silk Road product? After a lot of research into SR and the deepweb, pgp encryption etc, I find it hard to believe.
Like ur page ma man. Would be good t have a wee chat bout few tings. cheers!
Sure, drop me a line at j.hanrahan@live.com
So, how would the bitcoins transaction look on my bank statement. Would it look shady as hell?
plz sent dmt in free i like this
God you're a moron, or worse. Don't claim to be upset that the site may put someone in jeopardy when you are giving the site publicity.
Feyk that's so silly. Is somebody promoting the Taliban by writing about a bomb they set off? I am not upset about Silk Road, just simply stating the facts. Funny the shut down the Armoury recently.
A gentleman seldom needs C-4, but when he needs it, he really NEEDS it.
I think this world is going to shit...thanks for making it easier for our kids to become drug addict..SR sellers deserve HELL
NYCKid, bet you cant buy Magic Mushrooms straight from Dartmoor on West Side highway. Or Pot noodles, come to that.. Great write up by the way.
1. the armory is closed, no more AK and C4. 2. if you spent some time browsing you would see that 80% of what is sold is weed and another sizable percentage is online goods. 3. the knuckleduster in a dark basement makes a comission of EVERY transaction and could earn as much as a couple million dollars a year. and another suprising fact, have you ever seen fairtrade hash? I have, on the SR.
Thanks for comment mate, but I disagree slightly with point 2. 1. This was written when the Armoury was still open. 2. 80% of drugs on auction being weed is in no way shape or form anywhere near what it was like when I wrote this. It was more like 50% when I was on. There's is tons of heroin, meth, amphet etc. 3. Good for them. And how can you be sure it's fairtrade when everything is anonymous and without trace? Just because they said it is?
I am glad they closed down 'Armoury' section. Atleast taking drugs donot harm others (who cares for druggists if they have taken choice to harm themselves), while guns can ruin other peoples lives (like road accidents). BUT, for countries like India, where self-defence items for women like peppersprays/stun-guns/tasers are indispensable, they should be supplied.
Ok I have downloaded the Tor browser but how do I get to silk road? I need the URL....Alls I want is some legit LSD or DMT or ne good hullucinagetic....PLEASE HELP
Good article. SR is the more expensive sire to buy drugs seeing as how the sellers have to pay over $500 to be a vendor. The site blackmarket reloaded is cheaper, and also has other stuff on it. no c4 though. I personally have never come across that on the darkweb.
Good article. SR is the more expensive site to buy drugs seeing as how the sellers have to pay over $500 to be a vendor. The site blackmarket reloaded is cheaper, and also has other stuff on it. no c4 though. I personally have never come across that on the darkweb.
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