“In short, you can’t illegally help to arm violent people and not be responsible for the violence that follows,” he said. Arguably, the most well-known source of revenue for organized crime is drug trafficking. DarkOwl analysts have previously released a report detailing the presence of alleged cartel-affiliated marketplaces on the darknet and detailed some of their product offerings including sophisticated concealed shipping. The global black market for guns continues to thrive, driven by smuggling networks, unregulated 3D-printed firearms, and weak regulations. These weapons fuel violence, crime, and conflict, posing significant challenges to public safety and global security.

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Straw purchasing cases have also recently occurred in Alberta and B.C., with officers telling CBC News it is a growing concern for them as well. “Gun violence is getting worse, there is more access to firearms,” Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders told CBC News. Wherever your location, Black Market Guns ensures your order arrives both securely and discreetly. We uphold our promise of worldwide shipping, allowing enthusiasts worldwide to effortlessly access our diverse range of firearms, ammunition, and accessories, all while keeping your identity private. Kevin is a multiple recipient of the Stephen Philbin Award for excellence in legal reporting. When someone wants to buy a gun and knows they won’t pass a federal background check due to a felony record, a mental health problem or some other reason, there are plenty of options.
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So, at least for now, criminals running shops and extremists broadcasting propaganda will be paid in Toncoin for ads on their channels. Launched in 2018, the original TON network was abandoned in 2020 following a court battle with the Securities and Exchange Commission. But now, amid a more favorable regulatory environment and improved market conditions, the company is running headfirst toward crypto in a desperate bid to monetize without bowing to the authorities. Russian Market has consistently remained one of the most popular and valuable data stores on the dark web. The platform’s activity has increased significantly over the past year, indicating its growing influence and market share in the underground economy.
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The spa mass shooting case went to Wisconsin’s Supreme Court, which ruled that Armslist was protected by Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, the same law that grants websites like Facebook, Google, and Twitter immunity from liability for content or comments posted by users. The disparity between gun laws in the two countries has contributed to American weapons falling into the hands of the world’s most violent criminal groups. For about six or seven months, according to court documents reviewed by VICE News, Villarreal acquired guns off the internet in the U.S. and resold them to buyers in Mexico, where firearms are strictly regulated and fetch high prices on the black market. Volume IV, compiled after years of research by leading experts from both law enforcement and academia, delivers updated findings and trends that highlight how firearms reach criminal actors. ATF data compiled by the Wilson Center, which provides nonpartisan counsel to Congress, shows most illicit weapons seized in Mexico can be traced to Southwest border states; Texas alone accounts for 38% of firearms found in Mexico traced back to the United States. Supreme Court is considering a lawsuit brought by Mexico against American gun manufacturers over their alleged complicity in weapons smuggling at the border.
Pond, however, had already shown the ATF text messages that proved Jump had sold him 14 guns in a single go just a few months earlier. In February 2023, the Department issued Volume II of the NFCTA, Crime Gun Intelligence and Analysis, which presents and analyzes data on crime guns (firearms used in crime) recovered between 2017 and 2021. The analysis reinforces the critical importance of ATF’s unique crime gun tracing authority and highlights the value of data from ATF’s NIBIN program.
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(The NCA, Home Office, and Metropolitan Police provided testimony and interviews for the report too). The second-highest share of firearm-trafficking cases investigated by ATF was straw purchases, when someone buys a gun for a person who can’t get it legally themselves. According to one federal official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, “ghost guns” or “self-made firearms” have become an especially prominent cause for concern in recent years, despite being perfectly legal for law-abiding citizens. The second, the official underscored, was by straw purchasers – individuals who buy guns from dealers and transfer them to prohibited persons.
Due to its extensive inventory and reputation for reliability, Brian’s Club has maintained a significant presence on the dark web. Quality and validity of the data it provides justify its higher cost over other marketplaces. The platform’s popularity continues to grow, attracting both new and returning customers. Valued at approximately $15 million, Abacus Market is one of the most lucrative platforms in the dark web ecosystem. In 2024, the platform grew significantly in popularity, partly because of its strategic acquisition of users from a number of recently shut-down marketplaces, such as AlphaBay and Incognito Market, which had recently closed their doors. Some states, including California, Connecticut, Maryland, and Massachusetts, have additional strong laws that may be used to prosecute firearms traffickers, as described below.
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Eric Ruben, a law professor at Southern Methodist University, said the ruling could have an immediate effect on unlicensed gun sales in Texas. WizardShop has solidified its status as one of the best data stores in the dark web by providing an impressive quantity of quality data as well as providing a trustworthy, easy to use interface allowing criminals easy and secure buying and selling. Torzon Market has established itself as a significant player in the darknet ecosystem, offering a secure, user-centric platform for anonymous trading. Its commitment to privacy, diverse product offerings, and robust security measures make it a preferred choice for users seeking discreet transactions within the darknet.

Sellers often need to pay a deposit to prove they’re serious, and they build their reputation through positive reviews. It’s been a constant back-and-forth between cybercriminals and law enforcement, with each new site trying to be smarter and more secure than the last. In 2019, there were approximately 8,400 active sites on the dark web, selling thousands of products and services daily. As of 2020, nearly 57% of the dark web was estimated to contain illegal content, including violence and extremist platforms. For a local machine configuration, he recommends a computer purchased for cash running Linux, using a local Tor transparent proxy. For operations security he suggests avoiding storing conversation logs, varying writing styles, avoiding mobile phone-based tracking and leaking false personal details to further obfuscate one’s identity.
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. To further examine this topic, our analysts conducted an extensive survey of vendors trading on the darknet in weapons, drugs, and human trafficking. In doing so, DarkOwl analysts uncovered a confluence between the three economies, indicating a possible interrelationship between the supply routes moving drugs, weapons, and people around the world. Trafficked firearms were also used in aggravated assaults in nearly 19% of cases, homicide in approximately 11% of cases, and attempted homicide in more than 9% of cases. The recipients or end users of the trafficked firearms tended to be previously convicted felons (60%) and young adults aged 25 to 34 (48%). Nonetheless, some law enforcement experts and analysts have concluded such figures represented only a small amount of the firearms rotating through the cartel-plagued country and argued that many more that Mexican officials have seized were not documented or traced.
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In April 2024, the Department issued Volume III of the NFCTA, Firearm Trafficking Investigations, which examines 9,708 closed ATF firearm trafficking investigations initiated between CY 2017 and 2021. U.S. and Ukrainian officials have implemented strict auditing measures to track military aid. Keith Kellogg, a former national security advisor under the Trump administration, said that “inspector generals are on the ground in Ukraine” monitoring weapons transfers and financial aid to ensure accountability. Russian state media amplified these claims, with RT running an “investigation” into alleged Western arms sales, despite fact-checkers, including the BBC World Service Disinformation Team, debunking the evidence.
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- Rifles accounted for the second highest percentage of firearms in these investigations at nearly 19%.
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- Last December, police in Ontario busted a firearm manufacturing ring and confiscated so-called “ghost guns,” firearms assembled from parts obtained legally and without any serial numbers.
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Studies have indicated weapons have been moving increasingly from Colombia, Spain, and Pakistan – in addition to the United States – to be resold in the Tepito underground. Other high-ranking officials also underscored that the majority of guns these days have been flowing not from the United States, but from the south. Lee Oughton, the managing partner and chief operating officer of the Mexico City-based Fortress risk-management company, concurred that while a wall would hardly solve the trafficking problem, it would serve as the “first line of defense” for both countries. Moreover, a total of 28,741 recovered weapons – an average of 4,790 annually – were classified as having an “undetermined” source. There have been no reports of Mexican criminal organizations deploying heavy U.S. artillery systems.
Encrypted communications networks can serve as a work-around to traditional darknet marketplaces and facilitate single-vendor trade or “direct deals” by interfacing with users directly. Utilizing direct deals via encrypted chats give both buyer and seller more privacy, especially from law enforcement which has become more adept at infiltrating and shutting down darknet marketplaces dedicated to illicit drugs. The marketing and sale of illicit substances occurs on the surface web, encrypted and non-encrypted chat platforms, via social media direct messages, in addition to the darknet.
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Whilst a great many products are sold, drugs dominate the numbers of listings, with the drugs including cannabis, MDMA, modafinil,108109110 LSD, cocaine, and designer drugs. The months and years after Silk Road’s closure were marked by a greatly increased number of shorter-lived markets as well as semi-regular law enforcement takedowns, hacks, scams and voluntary closures. The site also allegedly offered other illicit listings, including firearms, computer and ATM hacking lessons and assassins for hire. It is a priority for CBC to create products that are accessible to all in Canada including people with visual, hearing, motor and cognitive challenges. Green and Winchester were only caught after the guns they purchased and resold were found at crime scenes and identified.
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In conclusion, there is no credible evidence that American weapons sent to Ukraine are ending up in Mexico, Syria, Gaza or any location outside of Ukraine, and claims otherwise may be attributed to Russian disinformation campaigns. The United States and Ukrainian governments have attempted strict oversight of their weapons — to mixed results — but any arms trafficking happening in Ukraine appears, as of this writing, to be contained to isolated incidents by criminals. Background research tasks included learning from past drug lords, researching legal matters, studying law enforcement agency tactics and obtaining legal representation. Patterns recommended to avoid include hiring hitmen like Dread Pirate Roberts, and sharing handles for software questions on sites like Stack Exchange. We specialize in a diverse selection of firearms, ammunition, accessories, and defense equipment.
Research also indicates that gun thefts and bulk gun purchases are important pathways through which guns are trafficked. For more information about these issues see our pages on Reporting Lost and Stolen Firearms and Bulk Gun Purchases. Giffords seeks to arm activists, legislators, and the general public with the facts about our country’s gun violence epidemic and the most effective ways to address it. Giffords Law Center works in all 50 states to change policies and challenge injustice. We won’t rest until every state has strong gun safety laws and every community is free from the fear of gun violence.