The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) is now seeking the help of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for equipping its personnel with skills to combat drug trafficking on the dark web.
The DEA has enjoyed a significant level of success in tackling dark web drug trade in recent years.
They have investigated several cases, apprehended suspects, and managed to secure prosecutions and convictions.
Countries with well-oiled law enforcement agencies are successfully suppressing the problem.
Other countries, whose investigative systems are not so robust, are grappling with the menace though.
This is why collaborative and coordinated operations involving partner countries are growing more common.
Realizing the Concern
The Philippines is now live to the complex drug trading ecosystem on the dark web.
Due to the nature of the business, darknet drug traffickers remain consistently anonymous online, thereby making it difficult for law enforcement agencies to track them down.
The PDEA has now noted with concern that their personnel do not have the required expertise to deal with the dark web drug trade.
Darknet markets are highly encrypted platforms, and a high level of cyber intelligence and resources is required on the part of law enforcement to be able to track them down.
PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino said that the PDEA had asked the U.S.'s DEA to train personnel from the PDEA as well as the Philippine National Police, the National Bureau of Investigation and the Armed Forces of the Philippines on how to combat this illegal trade.
He added that they were looking to upgrade the capacity of the Philippines' law enforcement agencies.
Taking down illegal trade on the dark web is a multi-agency task, even in the U.S. The DEA, together with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Postal Inspection Service, and Customs and Border Patrol agencies are all involved in monitoring and investigating drug trade on the dark web.
According to Aquino, dark web drug sales are something new in the Philippines. More and more Filipinos are now getting access to illegal narcotics online.
He is concerned that it is difficult for the law enforcement agencies to track the buyer since they are purchasing the drugs from the comfort of their home behind a computer.
He was shocked that the buyers could even give feedback on the drug markets and rate the services of the drug vendors.
Aquino said that they have no other option but to purchase drugs from the sellers in order to be able to track them down.
Apparently, that's how they were able to corner a top suspect named Steve Pasion in Metro Manila, who was said to have been selling party drugs.
Pasion was killed in March after resisting arrest.
In countries such as the U.S., the trade has been going on for years. U.S. law enforcement have been able to take down prominent markets such as Silk Road and AlphaBay.
They are also apprehending more suspect traffickers and gathering enough evidence of their drug trade activities than before.
PDEA Needs Assistance
The DEA has tried and tested techniques of dealing with the darknet drug trade.
The PDEA's resolves to fight drug trade is similarly ambitious.
The Philippines' President Rodrigo Duterte has hit the headlines in recent years because of his ruthless, no-nonsense approach to the fight against drug trafficking.
The PDEA personnel, as well as that of the other Filipino investigative agencies, would be able to identify, monitor and investigate dark web drug traffickers after getting trained by the DEA.
The PDEA has its own prosecution procedures though.
Even with the knowledge, they should not expect to have it easy. Dark web drug traffickers are coming up with new defensive technologies every day.
It takes even the DEA and FBI to crack a dark web drug trafficking case, and gather enough evidence to secure an arrest warrant.
Seeking help from accomplished agencies such as the DEA is definitely a step toward helping the PDEA boost its resources.
They still have a lot of work cut out for them even after they get the training.
Dealing with dark web drug trafficking is a complex task that requires dedication and focus.
Disclaimer:
The articles and content found on Dark Web News are for general information purposes only and are not intended to solicit illegal activity or constitute legal advice. Using drugs is harmful to your health and can cause serious problems including death and imprisonment, and any treatment should not be undertaken without medical supervision.