How It Works

• Digitally mediated drug dealing occurs openly or in secret and private groups. Drug traffickers are increasingly using emojis and certain photographic images to indicate they are selling drugs. For instance, people looking for steroids can look for a photo depicting Nautilus equipment.

• Algorithms connect buyers and sellers faster than moderators can delete them. When sites do try and flag drug-related search terms and hashtags, new ones pop up quickly.

• The shipping of illegal narcotics and controlled substances is unwittingly conducted by mainstream entities such as the U.S. Postal Service, UPS and FedEx.