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The Dark Web Gun: An Underworld of Illicit Trade
Still, the report illuminated some important and frightening details about the future of the market. (Replicas of popular brands can actually be a bit more costly because they’re tougher to trace.) But the pricetag for CAD designs to print a gun averaged just $12. To be sure, 3D-printing files aren’t a huge share of the dark-web market yet; they accounted for just 11 of the hundreds of for-sale items catalogued by the RAND researchers. And because the RAND study is the first of its kind to attempt to measure this market, there is no trend line to attach that figure to. Anthony Maseda and Erik Arreola-Torres have been sentenced for their roles in a scheme to convert semi-automatic firearms into machineguns and sell the fully automatic firearms out of a Clayton… There are 27,000 items for sale on that site with a large section devoted just to credit card fraud and identity theft.
Service & Results
So GAO set out to determine how well these laws actually work by trying to buy some guns online. Michael Andrew Ryan, a.k.a. “Gunrunner,” was a 35-year old man from Manhattan, Kansas. Ryan was busted for illegally exporting semi-automatic rifles and handguns to Scotland, Ireland, England and Australia. A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment today against Ruby Celly Uribe, 34, of Antelope, charging her with illegal possession of a machine gun and a short-barreled rifle. Another vendor offers Taiwan’s Ministry of Civil Service database of employees which could be used for targeted phishing to infect government networks for espionage for €69 EUR.
Through further investigation and cooperation with other agencies like U.S. Customs, ATF identified the seller as an Argentinean national who had been illegally exporting firearms for years. ATF’s Internet Investigations Center monitors both the open Surface Web as well as the Dark Web for potential illegal firearm transactions.
The dark web is being used to buy conventional firearms rather than weapons of war, and at legal-market prices, new US research shows. Overall, the Darknet is not as scary as people say because markets, hitmen, mystery boxes, and others are, in my opinion, mainly surface concepts to scam people. As I said before, the Darknet is mainly a jungle full of scammers in which the best will make money out of it, and the others will lose theirs. Still, some websites are deeply concerning and deserve police attention. This is a service used on different market to secure funds until both sides (customer and vendor) complete the transaction.
Selling miniature, pocket-sized electromagnetic pulse generator devices are a popular market on the Dark Web in China. Capable of “frying” nearby electronic devices and rendering them dead, the applications for this tool are endless. Savvy users have gone as far as using the generator to add mass amounts of credits to slot machines at casinos and gambling halls to cheat their way to guaranteed winnings. Commonly stolen accounts include Netflix at just one dollar, hacked Uber accounts for the purposes of evading law enforcement, Spotify accounts for pennies on the dollar, and PayPal accounts that buyers can empty out at will. Citizens living in countries ruled by oppressive regimes often do not have ready access to news, information, and critically important data pertaining to the health and sustainability of society as a collective whole.
Command Buy-In for Additional Training — Participants noted a need to persuade law enforcement command staff to initiate dark web training and investigations. Command buy-in may be essential to commitments of funding and training time. The arrests are the result of a coordinated international operation dubbed Dark HunTOR that lasted ten months and involved police forces and investigators from nine countries. VPNs let you mask your location and prevent online breadcrumbs from leading back to you. This stops online criminals from eavesdropping on your Wi-Fi connection and intercepting any data you might be sending or receiving.
The dark web gun market represents a small yet alarming aspect of the broader underground economy that thrives on anonymity and illicit activities.
There are many reasons buyers could turn to the dark web to purchase a weapon, Holt explained. One example would be a buyer who can’t legally obtain a firearm; another explanation would be that the buyer lives in a country with stricter gun laws. Debates over gun regulations make headlines across the world, butthere’s an underground operation for weapons that has drawn very littleattention – until now. Researchers from Michigan State University creptinto the dark web to investigate how firearms are anonymously bought andsold around the world. In short, there is little evidence either justifying or condemning the Armory’s veracity. No matter how you slice the rumors, it seems like a risky bet—and that’s on top of buying illegal firearms.
Gun regulations in other parts of the world, such as the European Union, are stricter, resulting in limited access. Therefore, depending on where you are, who you are, and what legal processes you have gone through it is quite possible to purchase a weapon legally on the darknet. However, it is rational to assume that weapons are sold on the darknet for the purpose of circumventing the processes required for legal purchase. Our analysts also found listings small arms for sale on darknet and deep web services similar to those seized by law enforcement from individuals charged with conspiring to traffic narcotics and firearms.
Understanding the Dark Web
The dark web is a segment of the internet that isn’t indexed by traditional search engines. It can only be accessed using special software, such as Tor, which allows users to browse the web anonymously. Here are some key points about the dark web:
- Accessibility: Requires specialized software.
- Anonymous Transactions: Users and vendors can remain anonymous.
- Illicit Goods and Services: Marketplaces often sell illegal items.
The Rise of the Dark Web Gun Trade
Among the many illegal goods traded on the dark web, firearms have gained notoriety. The dark web gun market encompasses both firearms and firearm-related accessories.
- Variety: From handguns to assault rifles.
- Accessories: Ammunition, silencers, and other modifications.
- Homemade Weapons: Plans and blueprints for 3D-printed firearms.
How Transactions Occur
Purchasing a dark web gun involves several steps:
- Fentanyl sales on the dark web have been a major focus of U.S. law enforcement.
- Please note that people normally link Tor to the Darknet, but Tor is not only used for illicit purposes.
- It’s unclear who operates these sites, but it is obvious that they can make a lot of money.
- In other areas of the world, like Europe, there is more reliance on weapons purchases via the darknet; one underground marketplace advertised itself specifically as a provider of guns to the European Union.
- Some nation states, such as North Korea have been known to leverage banking malware for cyber-operations to recoup financial gain from the economic impact of international sanctions.
- The dark web is a part of the Internet that is hidden and lies beyond the reach of conventional search engines.
- Accessing Marketplaces: Users navigate through hidden sites.
- Selecting Goods: Browsing through listings to find desired items.
- Cryptocurrency Payments: Transactions are conducted using crypto for anonymity.
- Shipping: Items are often mailed to avoid detection.
Risks Involved
Participating in the dark web gun trade is fraught with risks:
- Legal Consequences: Severe penalties for illegal possession and trafficking.
- Scams: Many vendors are fraudulent, leading to lost money.
- Security Risks: The possibility of being tracked or hacked.
FAQs About Dark Web Gun Trade
What types of guns can be found on the dark web?
Users can find a variety of firearms ranging from handguns to rifles, as well as accessories and modifications.
Is it safe to buy guns on the dark web?
No, purchasing guns on the dark web is illegal and can lead to severe legal repercussions. There is also a high risk of scams and personal security threats.
How do vendors maintain anonymity?
Vendors often use cryptocurrencies and take advantage of the anonymity provided by the dark web to prevent identification.
Conclusion
The dark web gun trade highlights serious ethical, legal, and safety concerns. As technology evolves, so too does the complexity of the illicit market, necessitating ongoing scrutiny and law enforcement efforts to combat this disturbing trend.
