Dope Pushers on the Net

UN report: Internet is a haven for dealers enticing young people to addiction and drug-related crimes

Young people are at risk from drug dealers in cyberspace according to the annual report of the International Narcotics Control Board. The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) is the independent control organ for the implementation of the United Nations drug conventions. In its report the INC warns that private internet chat rooms are being used by drug dealers, do-it-yourself drug labouratories are advertised and sold online and that there is an increase of online pharmacies selling prescription-only drugs over the web. "These are just some of the challenges posed by new technologies and globalization," says the INCB in a press statement. Governments are urged to take action and the consideration of a United Nations convention on cybercrime is being encouraged.

According to the report the Internet is increasingly being used by drug traffickers for the distribution and advertisement of illicit drugs. INCB is particularly concerned that young people are at risk from drug dealers in cyberspace. On the Internet can be found detailed instructions on manufacturing a wide range of synthetic drugs, reviews of books on how to obtain internationally controlled procursor chemicals and how to operate illicit drug laboratories. "Young people may be drawn into drug-related crime by misinformation, propaganda or brainwashing on the part of unseen individuals whose aim is to profit from a broader drug-consuming population," states the report.

The likely consequences of these developments are 'alarming' in the view of the INCB. 'One is the potential expansion of drug abuse as a result of the incitement to produce and consume drugs within a large 'club' whose members encourage and assist one another,' the report says. Another alarming development is the 'amateurization' of drug-related crime, the INCB states.

The report further states that organised crime adopts some of the business practices that characterize the legitimate economy and utilize new technologies to improve the efficiency of their business. In Australia, drug traffickers used a facility offered to all clients by worldwide courier services to track their shipments on the company's web site. A delay may indicate to the traffickers that a controlled delivery operation has been set in motion.

Law enforcement has difficulties in combating the drugs trade on the Internet according to the report. Western governments had generally failed to introduce legislation against drug-related crime via the Internet, the INCB says. In western Europe cooperation between law enforcement and Internet service providers is on a voluntary and informal basis. The report points out that encryption used by drugs criminals is a huge problem for the law enforcement agencies. "Without the capacity to intercept and understand communications, drug law enforcement is severely handicapped in terms of prevention, detection and prosecution." Another concern is the use of internet banking and other e-commerce-facilities for money laundering. In some cases criminal gangs have even used high-tech for counter-surveillance against customs and police officers.

The INCB urges governments to act and gives a number of recommendations: Specialized inter-agency high-tech drug units should be set up on a national level; more countries should join the "24/7 network" of the G7/8 countries; ("24/7 network" refers to permanently staffed liaison offices for information exchange on cybercrime, a system in operation since 2001.) The cybercrime convention of the Council of Europe should be ratified by more countries. And "consideration might be given to the development of a United Nations convention against cyber crime" the report concludes.