The DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) finds it difficult to punish people/agencies in possession of designer drugs. Although sold openly at online pharmacies, these synthetic substances, or research chemicals, survive joyfully in a legal gray area.
What is a Legal Gray Area?
Legal gray area refers to the inability of a jury to pass judgment on something. For instance, synthetic drugs/designer drugs are in no way like other well-known drugs, at least, chemically. You can trade Bitcoin easily at bitcoin buyer.
Now, the compound may be a weird one, created in Berlin around 10 years ago. Moving forward in time, someone else could be manufacturing the same in an Asian country, before shipping it to a Western nation. Therefore, the jury becomes confused about what is punishable, and what is not!
True, the Obama Administration had tried to do something about this kind of scenario. The authorities had placed several synthetic cannabinoids under the umbrella of ‘illegal’. Nonetheless, there are many more designer drugs yet waiting to be found!
With the entry of cryptocurrencies for purchasing and selling these drugs, the novel drugs arena has received additional support. The coming together of this supporting tool, and designer drugs, is awarding a new look to the recreational drug industry.
A Briefing about Designer Drugs
As mentioned earlier, designer drugs are fabricated substances. They are expected to function exactly as the original drugs do. However, they are still deemed illegal medications that have come out of laboratories.
Surprisingly, many designer drugs are formulated from ingredients that are commonly found in every household. However, these domestically-available ingredients are often harmful to consumers’ health. It is because these ingredients could be poisons/toxins, cleaning materials filled with harsh chemicals, etc. They are utilized in modified forms, thereby avoiding identification. It is why the law has no way to bring these manufacturers to book. Furthermore, the developers of synthetic drugs know all the ways to escape being caught!
It is easy for law enforcers to arrest people dealing with marijuana, heroin, or cocaine. After all, they are street drugs, which are officially documented as illegal. The same laws are not applicable to designer drugs. These drugs possess specific chemical structures. Their creators alter these drugs in such a way that they appear like legally-permitted chemicals. Furthermore, the alterations in chemical structures are often minimal.
Only one designer drug is easily recognizable by the authorities. It is methamphetamine, or Crystal Meth. The drug is extremely dangerous, for it contains drain cleaner, battery acid, over-the-counter medicine for cold, etc. Yet, users become highly addicted to it.
Designer Drug Users and Cryptocurrencies
It does not matter whether there is a crypto summer, or a crypto winter, in place. The popularity of digital currencies refuses to wane. People continue to hanker after cryptocurrencies and the usage of blockchains. Bitcoin continues to occupy the top position in investors’ mindsets. Next, are altcoins, especially, the most valuable ones.
Amongst the law-abiding crypto fans, there are law-breaking investors too. Law enforcement officers are becoming frustrated by the rapidly rising rate of cryptocurrency crimes. Technological advancements make it possible to bring about changes in the operations of blockchains. In turn, there are changes in the marketplaces of digital assets. Thus, financial investigating agencies must change the methodologies of their examinations and explorations.
Thanks to the expanding base of digital currencies, it has become possible for the size of the Clearnet drug marketplace to increase too. Clearnet refers to the Surface net, which encompasses specific websites. They include, weather.com, google.com, etc. In fact, cryptocurrencies have become akin to a bedrock tool, perfectly suitable for the growth and development of designer drugs.
Generally, experienced criminals begin their illicit practices via the deployment of Bitcoin. Cryptocurrency has become the best way to invest in the Dark Web or Darknet. With the employment of specific browsers only, the criminals reach out to the Darknet/Dark Web. Each browser is an Onion Router, or Tor. The Darknet is an unindexed, decentralized, and unregulated arena. It helps in selling exploit kits. The criminals are so clever, that the authorities are having a tough time tracking monetary transactions through varied crypto wallets. They are unable to identify the criminal parties involved in the purchasing and selling of designer drugs, either.