If you were to walk around a Russian city, you might not realise it but hundreds of small packages of drugs, could be just below the surface, buried in the ground, or maybe attached to the back of a nearby drainpipe with magnets, or hidden inside a hole in a wall. These little "treasures" have been ordered online from a vendor operating on a darknet platform and then hidden by couriers known as 'Kladmen' all over the place waiting to be collected - this is the "dead drop" method.
The darknet markets servicing Russia have revolutionized the illicit drug markets in the country, which has seen an explosion in the consumption of synthetic drugs like methadone, mephedrone or Alpha-PVP. The vendors run a network of chemists, wholesalers, and Kladmen. Sportsman, hired thugs, roam around looking for Seagulls (people who steal dead drops) and punishing Kladmen on behalf of vendors, before uploading the punishments to social media as a warning to others.
For many years, Hydra, the largest DNM the world has ever known, defeated all competition and reigned supreme, handling over $5 billion dollars of cryptocurrency during its lifespan. But in 2022, it was taken down and like the mythical beast it was named after, new heads sprouted in its place - OMG!OMG!, Mega, Kraken, Blacksprut - all vying for position, competing for market share and creating the most audacious public marketing stunts and highly produced online videos.
The DNMs, with connections to the precursor markets of China and India, operate on TOR, have pushed synthetic drugs into all corners of Russia, democratizing the production process, with how-to guides and readily available lab equipment, and even created an apprenticeship scheme for prospective Kladmen, with a guaranteed job at the end.
The whole process is highly anonymised from production to transportation, and from purchase to delivery through the dead drop method. We have seen darknet markets affecting the drug appetites of an entire nation and beyond.
Speaker(s):
Max Daly, Journalist who specialises in drugs and organized crime. He is an Orwell Prize winner, co-authored of the book Narcomania and the co-author of the GITOC paper 'Breaking Klad: Russia’s Dead Drop Drug Revolution'.
Patrick Shortis, Senior Blockchain Intelligence Analyst working on the illicit drugs program at TRM Labs and co-author of the GI’s paper ‘Breaking Klad: Russia’s Dead Drop Drug Revolution’.
Links:
Breaking Klad: Russia’s Dead Drop Drug Revolution
Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime
(Podcast) “Death Can Wait”: Drugs on the Frontline in Ukraine
Additional Links:
https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy0701
https://meph.lenta.ru/articles/1-popularity
https://lenta.ru/news/2024/11/27/borby-s-rasprostraneniem-narkotikov/
https://lenta.ru/news/2024/11/27/milonov-predlozhil-proverit-vseh-rossiyan-na-narkotiki/
https://lenta.ru/news/2024/11/28/v-gosdume-vyskazalis-ob-epidemii-mefedrona-v-rossii/
https://argumenti.ru/society/2023/06/838979
https://www.tiktok.com/@brem100/video/7242272283954253058?lang=en
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWTmaRvpViw
https://www.tiktok.com/@moriarti.dark/video/7271777133335153926
https://sevastopol.su/news/v-krymu-proshel-sud-nad-blogershey-yuley-finess
https://meduza.io/en/feature/2024/02/07/when-a-college-student-challenged-russia-s-top-censorship-activist-at-her-q-a-event-she-responded-by-threatening-him-with-prosecution
https://novayagazeta.eu/articles/2023/12/20/mother-russia-en
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Obukhovets,+Leningrad+Oblast,+Russia,+187047/@59.4806054,31.2688815,13z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x46bdb94966834f73:0xbfe5e983110f840f!8m2!3d59.4952008!4d31.2902649!16s%2Fg%2F1pzpdbhfc?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MTIxMS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D
https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/5899910
https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Brilliant_green
https://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Vory-Russias-Super-Mafia/dp/B07CS7BZ89/ref=sr_1_1?nsdOptOutParam=true&sr=8-1
https://nsarchive.gwu.edu/news/cyber-vault/2019-12-13/silk-road-investigation-dea-secret-service-agents-involvement-online-black-market-site
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/former-dea-agent-sentenced-extortion-money-laundering-and-obstruction-related-silk-road
https://www.forbes.com/sites/ryanmac/2013/11/08/meet-the-silk-road-employee-that-the-dread-pirate-roberts-allegedly-tried-to-murder/
https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/administrator-silk-road-website-and-drug-vendor-plead-guilty-drug-conspiracy
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/04/silk-road-ross-ulbricht-drugs-murder
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2436643
https://t.me/IrinaVolk_MVD/826
https://t.me/skgovby/8901 /
https://lenta.ru/articles/2022/03/24/sportiki/
https://darknark.lenta.ru/article/part3-broken-lives
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2024/09/24/russia-moves-to-allow-criminal-defendants-to-fight-in-ukraine-a86456
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2024/10/01/russias-army-plans-to-enlist-20k-criminal-defendants-for-ukraine-war-istories-a86534
https://www.legal-tools.org/doc/8eed35/pdf/
https://severpost.ru/read/180945/
https://socradar.io/beyond-hacktivism-deanon-club-killnet-and-the-russian-dark-web-market-wars/
https://www.bankinfosecurity.com/hostile-takeover-kraken-hacks-rival-dark-market-solaris-a-20986
https://therecord.media/pro-kremlin-hackers-target-latvias-parliament-after-declaring-russia-a-sponsor-of-terrorism
https://www.thetimes.com/world/article/pro-kremlin-hackers-killnet-hit-latvia-with-biggest-cyberattack-in-its-history-2jvmp8hk7
https://www.bitdefender.com/en-gb/blog/hotforsecurity/pro-russian-killnet-group-hits-us-airline-websites-with-ddos-attack
https://www.darkreading.com/cloud-security/killnet-ddos-attack-royal-family-website
https://dzen.ru/b/Y-5DIbb7bh7QW5SR
https://m.vk.com/wall-66678575_81399673?lang=en
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvlY2tn8Sh0
https://www.youtube.com/@Jessica_Ocean
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_592OyIvV5U
https://lenta.ru/news/2024/12/02/organizatoram-torgovavshey-po-vsey-rossii-narkoimperii-vynesli-prigovor/
https://therecord.media/hyrda-darknet-drug-marketplace-kingpin-sentenced-life-russia
https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2024/12/02/russia-sentences-alleged-founder-of-hydra-darknet-site-to-life-in-prison-a87198
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-61002904
https://flashpoint.io/resources/research/flashpoint-and-chainalysis-investigate-hydra-where-cryptocurrency-cybercrime-goes-dark/
https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-release/file/1490906/dl
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-investigation-leads-shutdown-largest-online-darknet-marketplace
https://www.darkowl.com/blog-content/russians-on-the-darknet-part-ii-marketplaces-amp-forums/
https://socradar.io/under-the-spotlight-ramp-forum/
https://tass.ru/proisshestviya/4572560
https://darknark.lenta.ru/article/part1-the-war
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/us-charges-three-men-with-creating-and-running-first-ever-mirai-botnet/
https://www.zdnet.com/article/dyn-confirms-mirai-botnet-involved-in-distributed-denial-of-service-attack/
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/nov/03/cyberattack-internet-liberia-ddos-hack-botnet
https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/failed-mirai-botnet-campaign-takes-900000-germans-offline/
https://explodingtopics.com/blog/iot-stats
https://spectrum.ieee.org/mirai-botnet
https://www.radware.com/security/ddos-knowledge-center/ddospedia/mirai/
https://www.ntv.ru/novosti/1760880/
https://66.ru/news/society/250870/
https://globalinitiative.net/analysis/deep-dive-podcast/
https://finance.rambler.ru/markets/48548669-mif-o-russkoy-gidre-chem-zakonchilas-istoriya-krupneyshey-ploschadki-po-prodazhe-narkotikov-i-konchilas-li/
https://tass.com/society/866067
https://www.wired.com/2014/11/operation-onymous-dark-web-arrests/
https://www.wired.com/2014/12/interview-darkside-russias-favorite-dark-web-drug-lord/
https://www.chainalysis.com/blog/how-darknet-markets-fought-for-users-in-wake-of-hydra-collapse-2022/
Buenaventura – “The Pact for Life”
Buenaventura has long been an important node in international illicit markets, particularly cocaine trafficking due to its port. Gangs, paramilitaries and organized criminal networks have all looked to gain a foothold here. The resulting violence has meant the city has seen many murders, and even more disappearances, with terrifying tales emanating from the so-called 'Casa de pique’ (Chop Shops).
In September 2022, two gangs in Buenaventura, on the Pacific coast of Colombia, signed a truce to end the bloodshed that had gripped the city for two years - called 'The Pact for Life', which was mediated by the Bishop of Buenaventura.
Los Shottas and Los Espartanos (the Spartans) had been locked in a vicious battle ever since they had both broken away from the La Local gang, carving up the city between them.
The administration of President Gustavo Petro, saw the truce as an opportunity to negotiate with these two gangs under the Total Peace policy, which looks to reduce violence in communities across Colombia.
There has been a reduction in homicides, but this stat hides the fact that other crimes have increased - extortion, disappearances, control of movement, and the "justice" (fines, beatings or murder) meted out on the population by the gangs.
Speaker(s):
Mariana Botero Restrepo, former GITOC Analyst and Researcher in the Observatory of the Andean Region.
Felipe Botero Escobar, Head of Andean Regional Office, Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime
Juanita Durán-Vélez, Lawyer, Crime and Justice Lab, Colombia.
Links:
Andean Regional Office, Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime
Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime
The base research (Negotiating with Criminal Groups: Colombia´s Total Peace Policy) for this episode was initially developed and supported by Serious Organized Crime and Anticorruption Evidence research program.
Additional Links:
https://www.elespectador.com/colombia-20/paz-y-memoria/petro-y-paz-urbana-bandas-de-buenaventura-extienden-la-tregua-hasta-febrero-del-2025/
https://colombiasupport.net/2021/04/filing-a-complaint-is-like-a-tombstone-it-means-your-death-bishop-of-buenaventura/
https://www.agenciapi.co/noticia/justicia/capturan-alias-cholo-lider-de-los-shottas-en-operativo-en-buenaventura
https://www.google.com/search?q=Carlos+Javier+Erazo+G%C3%B3mez&oq=Carlos+Javier+Erazo+G%C3%B3mez&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIGCAEQRRg7MgYIAhAuGEDSAQc1NTVqMGoxqAIAsAIA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
https://www.infobae.com/colombia/2024/05/19/capturado-alias-cholo-viche-presunto-cabecilla-de-los-espartanos-en-buenaventura/
https://www.eltiempo.com/unidad-investigativa/el-nuevo-agente-encubierto-que-le-prometio-a-ministro-desmantelar-red-corrupta-en-la-policia-en-la-que-menciona-a-poderosos-politicos-3389661
https://colombiaone.com/2024/08/03/colombia-smuggler-spain/
https://www.elespectador.com/judicial/alias-pitufo-zar-del-contrabando-sera-enviado-desde-espana-hacia-colombia/
https://elhomenoticias.com/justicia/poderoso-agente-encubierto-de-polfa-que-se-atornillo-en-la-policia-de-la-mano-de-un-ministro-pese-a-graves-informes/
https://www.bluradio.com/nacion/policias-sobornaron-con-900-millones-para-que-ingresara-contrabando-de-el-bendecido-rg10
https://www.infobae.com/colombia/2024/08/30/la-millonada-que-recibieron-las-autoridades-por-permitir-el-ingreso-de-contrabando-de-el-bendecido/
https://www.las2orillas.co/un-filipino-y-los-daneses-de-maersk-controlan-los-2-puertos-mas-grandes-de-buenaventura/
https://ppulegal.com/en/ppu-legal/ppu-advises-on-port-aguadulce-expansion-financing/
https://news.mongabay.com/2020/06/ill-never-be-ready-for-this-port-locals-say-of-colombias-proposed-project/
https://mascolombia.com/es-fundamental-dragar-el-canal-de-acceso-al-puerto-de-buenaventura-asonav/
https://www.infobae.com/colombia/2023/04/09/los-desaparecidos-de-isla-calavera-fuente-de-vida-y-muerte-de-las-mujeres-buscadoras-de-buenaventura/
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Isla+P%C3%A1jaros/@3.8754086,-77.0848323,4399m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x8e37246bc0519301:0xe8c19fa6cd4835cf!8m2!3d3.8708333!4d-77.075!16s%2Fg%2F11clyt5gp1?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MTExMC4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D
https://www.elespectador.com/colombia-20/conflicto/paz-total-buenaventura-pacto-entre-shotas-y-espartanos-no-hay-muertos-pero-persiste-delincuencia/
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/250341/this-colombian-bishop-in-a-drug-trafficking-zone-receives-death-threats
https://www.infobae.com/colombia/2024/03/23/capturaron-a-alias-chucky-cabecilla-de-los-espartanos-dejaba-una-bala-como-amenaza-para-que-pagaran-extorsiones/
https://reliefweb.int/report/colombia/dispatches-field-visit-buenaventura
https://www.altocomisionadoparalapaz.gov.co/prensa/Paginas/Avanza-la-paz-urbana-Se-renuevan-compromisos-del-Pacto-por-la-Vida-en-Buenaventura.aspx
https://reliefweb.int/report/colombia/el-miedo-y-la-zozobra-siguen-condicionando-la-vida-de-miles-de-personas-en-colombia-enero-junio-de-2023
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/252199/gang-violence-prevents-evening-masses-in-colombian-city
https://insightcrime.org/colombia-organized-crime-news/the-shottas/
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/terror-and-security/narcos-necromancy-turf-wars-black-magic-colombia/
https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/12/15/latin-american-drug-cartels-instagram-facebook-tiktok-social-media-crime/?utm_campaign=clipping_institucional_dia_a_dia&utm_medium=email&utm_source=RD+Station
https://www.instagram.com/p/B3Z1pQBhrFh/?hl=en
https://www.qhubocali.com/asi-paso/cayo-alias-optra-uno-de-los-mas-buscados-del-valle/
https://www.fordfoundation.org/news-and-stories/stories/the-murder-of-temistocles-machado-human-rights-defenders-in-colombia-are-still-under-threat/
https://ocindex.net/country/colombia
https://igarape.org.br/en/drug-cartels-are-all-over-instagram-facebook-and-tiktok/
https://www.hrw.org/report/2014/03/20/crisis-buenaventura/disappearances-dismemberment-and-displacement-colombias-main
https://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias/2014/03/140320_colombia_buenaventura_desapariciones_desplazados_aw
https://www.elespanol.com/reportajes/grandes-historias/20160909/154235506_0.html
https://www.elespectador.com/actualidad/buenaventura-desmembrada-article-526131/
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-02-07-mn-41027-story.html
https://www.elespectador.com/judicial/historia-de-una-casa-de-pique-article-521746/
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/12/colombia-violence-torture-gangs-buenaventura
https://www.univalle.edu.co/lo-que-pasa-en-la-u/buenaventura-a-la-luz-de-colombia
https://insightcrime.org/colombia-organized-crime-news/rastrojos-profile/
https://insightcrime.org/colombia-organized-crime-news/auc-profile/
https://insightcrime.org/es/noticias-crimen-organizado-colombia/los-shottas/
https://www.semana.com/mejor-colombia/articulo/asi-se-convirtio-buenaventura-en-el-segundo-puerto-mas-eficiente-de-america-latina/202458/
https://www.theworldfolio.com/news/cauca-valley-francis/105/
https://colombiareports.com/agc-gulf-clan/
http://www.indepaz.org.co/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Proceso_de_paz_con_las_Autodefensas.pdf
https://www.pares.com.co/post/shottas-y-espartanos-avanzan-en-sus-intenciones-de-paz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uD90rc5fq_0
https://www.ncregister.com/blog/colombian-bishop-uses-holy-water-to-drive-out-the-devil
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jul/10/bishop-take-skies-exorcise-colombian-city-helicopter-buenaventura
Disclaimer: SOC ACE is funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, & Development Office. The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect the UK government’s official policy.
Colombia is a country that has been racked by conflict for around 60 years - multiple armed groups and organized crime have waged war against each other and the state.
In 2016, after nearly seven years of negotiations, the FARC demobilized, creating a power vacuum that other groups, such as the National Liberation Army (ELN), Clan del Golfo, and FARC dissidents, quickly filled. Despite the FARC's exit, violence persisted, with cocaine production and illegal mining continuing unabated, leaving many communities under the control of criminal organizations.
In 2022, the President of Colombia Gustavo Petro brought forward new legislation, known as 'Total Peace'. This ambitious and wide ranging policy looks to negotiate with all criminal groups, whether they are politically minded, like the FARC were or organized crime. Why? To help reduce violence, in particularly homicides, but also to try a new approach to end these long-running conflicts.
One of the key players in these negotiations was the ELN, the oldest guerrilla group in the world. The Petro administration expressed optimism, claiming a peace agreement could be reached within three months of taking office. However, over two years later, those talks have stalled and ultimately collapsed, raising questions about the future of peace efforts in Colombia.
Speaker(s):
Juanita Durán-Vélez, Lawyer, Crime and Justice Lab, Colombia.
Kyle Johnson, Researcher & Academic Director of the Conflict Responses Foundation, Bogotá, Colombia
Felipe Botero Escobar, Head of Andean Regional Office, Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime
Links:
Andean Regional Office, Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime
Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime
The base research (Negotiating with Criminal Groups: Colombia´s Total Peace Policy) for this episode was initially developed and supported by Serious Organized Crime and Anticorruption Evidence research program.
Additional Links:
https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/colombia-recognizes-dissident-eln-faction-independent-organization-2024-05-08/
https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/colombias-illegal-armed-groups-grew-2023-secret-security-report-2024-05-07/
https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/colombia-peace/
https://www.latimes.com/world/mexico-americas/la-fg-colombia-farc-killings-20180605-story.html
https://www.statista.com/statistics/1265909/former-farc-members-killed-colombia/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcT51WTFlUM
https://www.abcolombia.org.uk/eln-peace-talks-timeline/
https://www.elcolombiano.com/colombia/guerra-entre-el-eln-y-las-disidencias-de-las-farc-en-arauca-MD16408859
https://english.elpais.com/international/2022-06-11/in-colombias-saravena-theres-no-theft-just-murder.html
https://insightcrime.org/news/insight-crime-2022-homicide-round-up/
https://insightcrime.org/news/is-the-ex-farc-mafia-betting-all-its-chips-on-the-colombian-venezuelan-border/
https://insightcrime.org/investigations/inviting-war-into-venezuela/
https://collections.unu.edu/eserv/UNU:8960/FARCdissidentColombia_FINAL.pdf
https://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias-america-latina-59863553
https://www.elespectador.com/judicial/el-contratista-del-eln-article-838805/
https://insightcrime.org/news/eln-receiving-payments-companies-colombia/
https://newsradio.com.co/2019/02/investigan-si-el-eln-se-financio-con-recursos-publicos-del-departamento-de-arauca/
https://www.pulzo.com/nacion/financiacion-eln-arauca-PP640382
https://www.elespectador.com/noticias/judicial/el-contratista-del-eln-articulo-838805
https://www.eltiempo.com/justicia/delitos/facundo-castillo-detalles-del-caso-por-el-que-fue-capturado-por-fiscalia-626787
https://colombiareports.com/colombia-arrests-governor-on-corruption-terrorism-support-charges/
https://www.cgfm.mil.co/en/multimedia/noticias/army-and-prosecutors-office-carried-out-confiscation-right-domain-assets-ex
https://www.infobae.com/en/2022/04/21/they-impose-an-insurance-measure-on-the-former-governor-of-arauca-due-to-irregularities-with-the-pae/
https://www.eltiempo.com/unidad-investigativa/luis-diaz-un-vendedor-de-divisas-de-maicao-detras-del-secuestro-del-padre-del-jugador-825082
https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/colombia-eln-guerrillas-free-kidnapped-father-liverpool-soccer-star-diaz-source-2023-11-09/
https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/least-40-colombias-eln-rebels-seen-rejecting-peace-deal-security-sources-2023-09-22/
https://www.eltiempo.com/justicia/conflicto-y-narcotrafico/entrevista-a-pablo-beltran-del-eln-desde-cuba-sobre-regreso-a-colombia-317422
https://www.financecolombia.com/insight-crime-report-eln-has-beaten-ivan-duque-now-colombias-largest-criminal-threat/
https://verdadabierta.com/se-reanuda-formalmente-la-guerra-contra-el-eln/
https://x.com/JuanManSantos/status/1167053956255748097
https://colombiareports.com/police-identify-and-hunt-guerrilla-responsible-for-pablitos-escape/
https://colombiareports.com/arauca-prison-director-suspected-of-assisting-eln-leaders-escape/
https://colombiareports.com/eln-guerrilla-escapes-from-jail/
https://www.eltiempo.com/archivo/documento/CMS-6307429
https://www.fides.org/en/news/72782-AMERICA_COLOMBIA_The_testimony_of_Monsignor_Jaramillo_prophet_and_martyr_of_peace_is_always_alive_and_current
https://colombiareports.com/pablito-eln/
https://insightcrime.org/colombia-organized-crime-news/eln-profile/
https://www.seattletimes.com/business/worlds-oldest-guerrilla-force-revives-war-on-oil/
https://web.archive.org/web/20090302075901/http:/www.cyemh.org/resource/camilo.htm
https://www.britannica.com/topic/liberation-theology
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kU30QVJl8ac
https://thecitypaperbogota.com/news/petro-on-arauca-bombing-eln-practically-closes-peace-process-with-blood/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37W-nrGMB5U&t=18s
https://i0.wp.com/efe.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/rss-efe3d9924349b8c7efe16223eebbb9025ada2404bf0w.jpg?fit=1920%2C1080&ssl=1
https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/colombias-petro-says-eln-attack-practically-ends-peace-talks-2024-09-18/
https://llanera.com/dos-soldados-asesinados-por-el-eln-en-tame-arauca/26595
https://www.laopinion.co/sucesos/atacaron-unidad-militar-en-tame-arauca-reportan-dos-soldados-asesinados
https://insightcrime.org/news/eln-attack-destroys-chances-peace-strengthening-guerrilla-group/
https://x.com/OscuraColombia/status/1828154886862610855
https://maps.app.goo.gl/rUBZJfYcLSFYNGr47
https://thecitypaperbogota.com/news/colombian-army-confirms-eln-behind-oil-pipeline-attack-in-arauca/
https://www.elcolombiano.com/colombia/crisis-combustible-ataque-oleoducto-cano-limon-covenas-en-arauca-DN25286995
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