Citation

Jurásek B, Čmelo I, Svoboda J, Čejka J, Svozil D, Kuchař M. Drug Test. Anal. 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/dta.2901

PMID

32678972

Abstract

The dark web scene has been drawing the attention of law enforcement agencies and researchers alike. To date, most of the published works on the dark web are based on data gained by passive observation. To gain a more contextualized perspective, we conducted a study in which we selected three vendors on the 'Dream Market' dark web marketplace, from which we subsequently ordered several new psychoactive substances (NPS). We documented all transactions from the initial drug deal solicitation to the final qualitative analysis of all received samples. From the selected vendors, we obtained a total of nine NPS samples, all of which we analysed by NMR, HRMS, LC-UV, and two also by X-Ray diffraction. According to our analyses, four of the five substances offered under already known NPS names contained a different NPS. The selected vendors therefore either didn't know about their product, or deliberately deceived the buyers. Furthermore, two of three obtained samples of purportedly novel NPS were identified as already documented substances sold under a different name. However, the third characterized substance sold as 'MPF-47700' was a novel, yet uncharacterized NPS. Finally, we received a single undeclared substance, later identified as 5F-ADB. In addition to chemical analysis of nine obtained NPS samples, the used methodology also yielded contextual information about the accessibility of NPS on the dark web, the associated purchase process, and the modus operandi of three NPS vendors. Direct participation in dark web marketplaces seems to provide additional layers of information useful for forensic studies.

Language: en

Keywords

New psychoactive substances; Dark web; Darknet; Dream Market; MPF-47700; NPS identification