Photo by Markus Spiske
Two Texas men have been charged in the Western District of Tennessee for their alleged participation in a drug distribution conspiracy perpetrated over the Darknet. In conjunction with the arrests, the government seized more than $5 million in assets alleged to be connected to the drug trafficking activity.
Comprising around 30% of internet space, the Darknet is not as nefarious as it sounds. The section of the internet is typically comprised of small or hard to find websites. While something in the Clearnet (what most people would think of when we think of the internet) is easily searchable, something in the Darknet would often rely on a contact, or prior knowledge of how to find what you want.
Kevin Ombisi, 31, and Eric Russell Jr., 35, were both charged following allegations that the pair had been selling pills marketed as Adderall on the encrypted messaging service Wicker. Ombisi was charged with one count of conspiracy and one count of unlawful distribution. Russel Jr. has been charged with one count of conspiracy.
The pair would use Wicker to organize payments, and then send pills to addresses in the Western District of Tennessee, as well as parts of Kansas and Missouri. The accused used Bitcoin as payment rather than traditional methods to remain under the radar.
Though the alleged pills were said to be Adderall, they were found to contain methamphetamine instead. Investigators made the discovery after a number of undercover purchases, used to build grounds for a case.
Because of the difficulty in accessing portions of the Darknet, it has often been used as a hub for illicit and illegal activities. Due to this, many state and Federal entities have propped up their own web-specific divisions to combat this trend.