Talking Point: Drug trading via the darknet

This event was one of our Talking Point series. It was delivered on 31 March 2017.

This presentation provides an examination of illicit drug trading conducted via the anonymous, encrypted 'darknet'. Topics covered include the operations of contemporary darknet markets, how online illicit drug trading has been expanding in Australia and around the world, what impacts darknet drug trading has for conventional illicit drug distribution networks, and the challenges facing law enforcement agencies tasked with enforcing drug prohbition on the internet. Harm reduction possibilities associated with the growth of online drug trading is also explored.

Dr James Martin is a Senior Lecturer and Criminology Program Coordinator at the Department of Security Studies and Criminology at Macquarie University. James is one of the foremost experts on the topic of cryptomarkets, and published the world's first research monograph on online illicit drug trading.

He is currently investigating the health impacts of cryptomarkets as part of a National Medical Health Research Council funded project. James is a also founding member of the Cryptomarkets Research Hub, an international and multidisciplinary research network focused on the study of the online illicit drugs trade.