A look inside the portal for illegal drug sales

ATLANTA — Federal authorities are investigating illegal drug sales that could be linked to an underground website on the so called "dark web."

Last week the U.S. Department of Justice, FBI and DEA announced the takedown of the largest criminal marketplace on the internet.

Officials say the website, called AlphaBay, hosted vendors selling all forms of illegal drugs, including synthetic Fentanyl. The powerful opioid has caused an epidemic of overdose deaths in Georgia and many other states.

"In 2017, on a discreet day, we were able to identify that there were 124 advertisements for Fentanyl alone, and almost 150 advertisements for heroin." said US Attorney for North Georgia John Horn.

Horn told Channel 2's Tom Regan that consumers gain access to dark websites through a special browser and encryption that is supposed to provide anonymity.

"Once you are in the marketplace, it's just like you on Amazon or another marketplace like Craigslist," Horn said. "You can search for what you want. You can search for illegal drugs, you can search for explosives, you can search for weapons. It's all available."

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Horn said drug dealers selling synthetic chemicals have embraced the dark web because of it's efficiency and ease of shipping drugs through mail and delivery services.

"A customer in Georgia, or a customer, locally in the Southeast that wanted access to Fentanyl or one of the other synthetic opioids, there's no doubt that AlphaBay provided a ready access to it." Horn said. 

Horn says his office is currently working an investigation of a former AlphaBay employee working in the United States. He said most of the synthetic drugs come from Asia, but some are also smuggled into the country from Mexico.

"We have a local problem with some of these opioids coming across the border via the Mexican cartels, whether they are getting it on the dark net, or through manufacturers in China and in Asia," Horn said. 

Last year, deputies with the Bartow-Cartersville Drug Task Force intercepted a record shipment of Fentanyl, more than 40 pounds. It  is believed to have originated in Mexico.

Horn said they are actively seeking to shutdown other dark net portals for illegal drugs, that are killing people in record numbers.

"You are truly  taking your life into your own hands by taking any kind of counterfeit pill," Horn said.

Cox Media Group