The expanding influence of the internet (EU Drug Markets Report)

An important contributor to globalisation that has impacted on the drug market in a number of different ways is the internet, providing not only new ways to access customers and suppliers but also opportunities to enhance the efficiency and security of off-line criminal activities. The internet encompasses what is known as the surface or clear web, that part of the internet that can be found by link-crawling techniques used by a typical search engine such as Google or Bing, and the deep web, which is not accessible to these search engines. The deep web comprises a wide variety of different types of content, including dynamic web pages, private sites, blocked sites and limited access networks. These are generally accessible only by conducting a search of a particular website; for example, much of the information contained in government databases and libraries lies in the deep web. However, a small proportion of the content on the deep web, known as the dark web or dark net, has been intentionally hidden and is accessible only using special web browsers. This is the portion of the internet most associated with illicit activities because of the relative anonymity associated with this network. However, while much attention has been given to the online marketplaces found on the deep web, the surface web also plays an important role, particularly with respect to sales of new psychoactive substances.

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