The interpretation of information collected from a big cryptomarket during the time between 2014 and 2015, a lately written study showed an absolute examination of the guides of drug trafficking in terms of types of sold drugs, number and countries of the foundation of vendors and shipping address countries. The investigation also aimed at displaying the geographical model correlated with the trafficking of products exchanged on crypto markets e.g. trafficking flows, vendors’ specialization, as well as an evaluation of their special roles along the distribution connection. The detailed investigation of the flow of goods across different countries highlights the part of specific countries along the directions of domestic and international drug trafficking, probably relating to law enforcement companies LEAs suspicious domestic mails and abroad packages arising from specific countries.
The study also exposed the huge amount of licit, as well as illicit drug listings and their merchants on Evolution’s platform. Scam products’ listings are the following most common listings on Development, coming second only to drugs listings and they included forged credit cards, driving licenses, passports etc.; taken payment processor accounts e.g. Paypal; and malware. This was succeeded by products’ listings that include sharing of knowledge e.g. tutorials and finally products’ listings that involves money, precious metals and other forms of luxury goods.
During the examined duration, 92,890 different product listings were recognized. A total of distinct 4,171 merchants were detected. 63% of the product listings involved licit and/or illicit drugs. This class of product listings involved prescription drugs e.g. benzodiazepines, synthetic opioids…etc, performance and image intensifying drugs (PIEDs) and paraphernalia & laboratory supplies. Product listings that constituted fraud described issues represented 30% of all listings and around 50% of all merchants offer products that fit this class e.g. counterfeited licenses, bank statements, university degrees. Product listings filed under the “Goods, currencies and precious metals category” granted around 7% of all listings and included luxury goods such as watches; clothes and accessories such as glasses, shirts, bags, etc.