Darknet denizens slither past the law

The darknet is the latest example of technology that’s become a breeding ground for criminal activity. Combating virtual crime in this subset of the deep web is exceedingly difficult because of its anonymity. However, here are some ways law enforcement and fraud examiners are fighting these elusive miscreants.

The advertisement read like a script from a TV movie: “ ‘Breaking Bad’ untraceable ricin for sale.” Ricin is a biologic toxin that’s fatal when ingested. Except the offer wasn’t part of a crime drama — it was a real sales listing on a popular darknet marketplace. (See LaBelle man at heart of int’l poison plot sentenced, News-Press, Feb. 18, 2015.)

An undercover law enforcement officer, pretending to be a buyer, responded to the ad and claimed he needed the poison to kill an unsuspecting victim. The officer found positive feedback online from other customers about the seller, which indicated that he or she had successfully completed other transactions. The officer believed these reviews showed the posting was probably real.