Here are the methods police used to detect drug traffickers in the 'Deep Web'

The 'Deep Web' or Deep Internet has always been one of those strangers, intriguing suspense-filled spaces for many Internet users, mainly because of the large number of illegal activities collude and develop within that space. With the emergence of technology as a tool Bitcoin safe, fast and anonymous payments; this ecosystem took force in its commercial dynamics; however the authorities in various countries were quick to identify the fact and immediately devised mechanisms to combat criminal activities.

But how can identify people involved in these activities in a world where pseudonyms, concealment and dissuasive tactics reign supreme? A study by RAND Europe, an organization designed to facilitate studies and statistics to improve the effectiveness of the police, has revealed what methods favored by the authorities to identify and catch drug dealers who make life in the Deep Web are.

The report is quite comprehensive and covers various topics on the subject, starting from an introduction to how drug markets operate on the Internet Deep; the size and growth that this market has been experiencing; routes of shipments of goods; the different actors involved in such operations; and finally, methods of detection and intervention employed by authorities to stop such criminal activities.

These are some of the methods:

MONITORING OF ACTIVITIES IN OTHER WEB SITES
Once the police have spotted suspected of illegal operations, one method is also used to monitor activities outside the Deep Web of these subjects, ie the common web. This is because certain subjects also use Internet portals to discuss their services in the Deep Web and attract more customers.

Unlike the Deep Web, on the surface web portals must comply with legal records and subject to regulations that require them to provide user information if the competent authorities reach specially. One of the recent cases occurred in the United States when authorities asked the Reddit website information about a user list that was making publications in the r / darknetmarkets forum.

In addition to this kind of "promotion", the chances that those involved come to commit oversights is always present. Whether through records on such portals, specialized forums or email lists, among other possibilities.

FOLLOW THE MONEY TRAIL
It is true that Bitcoin has a public record of transactions, blockchain, which anyone can access at any time from an Internet connection, even if you have never made or received a transaction bitcoins. However, this record does not provide the identities of users, but only addresses the portfolios associated with each transaction.

In addition, the Deep Web TOR for navigation and sending data protocol is used, making the tracing of the IP address associated with each computer is something very difficult to do well. With which to track the movements of certain bitcoins can be somewhat fruitless.

But there is a weak point which the authorities can themselves be vigilant about the "trail" of money: the conversion of bitcoins to fiat money, and vice versa. It is precisely here in the transition process criptomonedas to dollars, euros, pesos or any fiat currency; where you can obtain information on the identity of the people involved. Though of course those involved will seek less risky methods to perform such currency conversions without risking their identity.

Currently, policies and regulations of Anti Money Laundering and Know Your Customer (also abbreviated English AML and KYC, respectively) are applied in countries where the volume of trade in criptomonedas to fiat currencies are higher worldwide. This is a tool that allows authorities to ask the exchange identity information associated with the bank accounts of users at any time.

Despite the difficulty of tracing bitcoins, this method is used by the authorities and has given results in more times than it is believed, because there is always the risk that drug traffickers can make some "mistakes" stop useful trails police.

INFILTRATION
Another method of "old school" which has many results for the authorities. Although it may be dangerous for officers or volunteers who are dedicated to infiltrate such trafficking networks in the Deep Web, the intelligence possess the necessary to handle these activities and achieve filtering valuable information to its objectives in research experience.

As a customer, programmers, informers or suppliers; officers of the police force their way into these networks in the Deep Web. Yet it is important to build a relationship of trust not wake up enough suspicion criminals and take utmost care when filtering the information obtained to the authorities.

Just one of the keys to arrest Ross Ulbricht, was using undercover agents who communicated directly with the manager Silk Road and acted as informants on investigations being conducted by the police.

PHYSICAL MONITORING
Although these activities are performed in the Deep Web, traditional police methods are not without validity in these situations as well. That is why the observation and monitoring of the daily activities of the suspects is a very effective method that helps the authorities to confirm their suspicions and connect the dots of their research once comparing data on the web with patterns behavior offline.

For example, in the famous case of drug sales portal Silk Road, the authorities were directly following Ross Ulbricht to confirm that it was just the website administrator. According to the story of Arstechnica portal repeatedly Ulbricht left his apartment and headed to nearby cafes or libraries to use public Wi-Fi networks, and whose time and dates coincided with meetings portal administrator when it was running.

By matching online activities with routines outside, the police are able to get more information on the behavior patterns of suspects and then confirm their identification.

BITCOIN AND USE IN ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES
Bitcoin is a technology that emerged in 2009, very recent compared with the long history of drug trafficking and other activities considered illegal in many countries. However, we have tried to categorize currency bitcoin as an exclusive Internet for criminal purposes. A premise that, besides being false, increasingly longer considered due to the increasing adoption of cryptocurrency for legal trade in goods and services.

In addition, recent research has provided evidence that legal uses of Bitcoin are increasing worldwide, giving faith so that the relationship of this technology with criminal activity is nothing more than a fad that part of quite a few judgments of information truthful.

The public record of Bitcoin and recent regulations that are having the exchange of criptomonedas are new tools that have the authorities in fighting against organized crime operating both inside and outside the Deep Web, leaving clear so the Bitcoin as technology is not the cause of this type of activity, but rather a tool that can work collaboratively to combat this type of criminal activity.