These weapons fuel violence, crime, and conflict, posing significant challenges to public safety and global security. As early as June 2022, BBC reported that Russian state TV “routinely runs stories claiming Ukraine is selling weapons supplied by the West” on the dark web, a part of the internet not visible to search engines and home to online black markets. According to the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, news reports have claimed weapons from the war in Ukraine were “finding their way to Finnish gangsters, French rioters, Nigerian fighters and the Mexican cartels.” The interviews helped researchers identify six main channels through which underworld criminals circumvent Australia’s strict gun laws to purchase firearms illegally.
Accessing them may require .onion links and the Tor browser, but caution is advised due to legality and cybersecurity risks. Cybersecurity experts should pay close attention to these trends, as they often indicate emerging threats and profit-generating tactics among the cybercriminal forums. The Abacus Market links to the new dark web marketplace sections and took over much of the vacuum left by the AlphaBay takedown. There’s also a privacy angle—some users live in countries with censorship or surveillance, and the dark web gives them a space to communicate or access information more freely. The second category consists of data stores, which specialize in stolen information. Telegram channels supplement traditional onion sites, blurring lines between the dark web sites and more mainstream communication tools.
“The intensity of the fighting in the east and south has resulted in materiel being used as soon as it arrives,” the organization found. Finally, the claim about American weapons sent to Ukraine ending up in Syria appeared to originate from Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Mojitaba Damirchilo, who claimed in Iranian state media that Ukraine sent U.S. weapons to “terrorist groups” in Syria. As noted by Ukrainian outlet Ukrainska Pravda, Damirchilo cited “unnamed and unverified reports.” Iran has allied with Russia in its war with Ukraine.
How Firearms Enter The Black Market
Although ATF issues a variety of public and law enforcement reports and bulletins regarding firearm commerce, trafficking, and related issues every year, it has not undertaken a joint academic study on the scale of the NFCTA in more than 20 years. The darknet cannot show the full extent of the complicated relationship between arms, drugs, and human trafficking. However, using DarkOwl Vision to explore these relationships offers a snapshot into both the physical and digital realms of illicit goods and exploitation that often accompany each other. Looking at arms, drugs, and human trafficking online ties into the very real-world implications of these practices. While there is a long history of connections between drugs and weapons, DarkOwl analysts were curious if a similar relationship could be observed between weapons and human trafficking, and drugs and human trafficking.
See Countries Where Black Market Ships Firearms
These sites cater to cybercriminals seeking valuable data, such as credit card numbers, login credentials, and personal information. While the exact figure for the number of illicit firearms in circulation in the SADC region is not readily available, it is estimated that there are about 3.8 million unregistered illegal firearms in circulation in South Africa, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe. In April 2024, the Department issued Volume III of the NFCTA, Firearm Trafficking Investigations, which examines 9,708 closed ATF firearm trafficking investigations initiated between CY 2017 and 2021. The research is aimed at informing policymakers and police about how to plug gaps in the nation’s firearms laws. He said some of the interviewees spoke of illegal firearm suppliers having “huge caches” of guns, including pistols, shotguns and semi-automatic rifles. Professor Bright said many in the criminal underworld were enticed by the “thrill” of owning and using a firearm, while others told how their ability to access guns quickly enhanced their reputation among fellow criminals.
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WASHINGTON — More than 68,000 illegally trafficked firearms in the U.S. came through unlicensed dealers who aren’t required to perform background checks over a five-year period, according to new data released Thursday by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives. The civil war in Sierra Leone lasted from 1991 to 2002, and left 75,000 people dead. Weapons of all sorts were shipped to all sides in both Sierra Leone, and Liberia from abroad. These included small arms, such as, pistols, assault rifles, grenades, Claymores, knives, machetes, etc. Larger weapons such as missiles, light machine guns, mortars, anti-tank missiles, tanks, and planes were also used. Leader of the National Patriotic Front of Liberia, Charles Taylor, helped to create the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) in Sierra Leone.
A Wide Range Of Products
With no fees or taxes on your purchases, Black Market Guns is the most cost-effective option for acquiring firearms online. Welcome to Black Market Guns, your premier destination for purchasing firearms, military weapons, and equipment online. Established in 2018, we have quickly become one of the most trusted anonymous retailers in the global firearms market. Our mission is to provide gun enthusiasts with a seamless and secure shopping experience, allowing you to buy firearms from the comfort of your home, no matter where you are in the world. Classic darknet markets sell diverse illegal goods; data stores focus on leaked or stolen data like credentials, databases, and ID records. Launched in 2023, STYX focuses on financial crime, providing stolen credit card data, hacked bank accounts and access to various cryptocurrency laundering tools.
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It is imperative that we collectively unite to combat such platforms, employing robust measures to counter the illicit arms trade and safeguard the well-being of individuals and nations alike. In conclusion, Black Market Guns represents a dangerous online storefront that promotes the illegal trade of firearms, posing a significant threat to public safety and global security. By condoning and facilitating unregulated arms transactions, this platform enables criminals to access weapons with ease, perpetuating violence and instability. Efforts must be undertaken to dismantle such illicit platforms, reinforcing legal frameworks and international cooperation to counter the proliferation of illegal firearms. The role of Armslist and other similar online marketplaces as a source of weapons that end up in the hands of criminals on both sides of the border is growing, law enforcement sources told VICE News. As described in our summary on Universal Background Checks, federal law only requires licensed dealers, and not unlicensed private sellers, to conduct background checks on purchasers and maintain records of sales.
- The first is by private transactions in which guns bought at gun shows, flea markets or through private sales are later sold to prohibited persons.
- Finally, the claim about American weapons sent to Ukraine ending up in Syria appeared to originate from Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Mojitaba Damirchilo, who claimed in Iranian state media that Ukraine sent U.S. weapons to “terrorist groups” in Syria.
- It also revealed its Mini Apps feature, which allows users to build apps within Telegram, in a bid to become increasingly like the super app WeChat, which boasts over 1.3 billion mostly Chinese users.
- According to federal court records, Loyola, who was sentenced earlier this year to 10 years in prison, admitted to buying a machine gun along with .50-caliber Barrett rifles for the cartel.
No Of Scam Reports
Social media platforms can be used to identify possible victims, target them, recruit them, and then to advertise their exploitation services. The internet and darknet can be used to broadcast live acts of exploitation for distribution to a wider audience. While distributing CSAM material is not human trafficking, the production of CSAM is usually the result of trafficking children for exploitation. It is common for darknet vendors to talk about their delivery and stealth methods to reassure customers that their purchases will be delivered as advertised and not seized by the authorities. However, vendors and marketplaces must balance revealing enough information about their concealment techniques to gain their customers’ trust while not exposing their methods and routes resulting in law enforcement interdiction.
Why Security Leaders Prefer To Buy CTI Solution For SaaS Platforms In 2025
Black Market Guns operates with a blatant disregard for the law, offering a sinister marketplace for the sale of illicit firearms. By providing an avenue for unregulated transactions, this website not only undermines the efforts of law enforcement agencies but also fuels the proliferation of illicit firearms in the hands of criminals. The consequences of such unrestricted access to weapons are dire, as it poses a grave threat to public safety, perpetuates violence, and fuels global instability. The existence of Black Market Guns is a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities that exist within the online realm. By facilitating the illicit trade of firearms, this platform actively contributes to the erosion of trust in society and undermines the safety and security of communities.
Guns purchased from unlicensed sellers are also an important source of guns diverted to the illegal market. Closing this loophole and requiring background checks on all gun sales can significantly reduce the number of guns that enter into the illegal market. One federal law enforcement agent, who requested anonymity because they are not authorized to speak publicly, told VICE News that cartels typically smuggle weapons into Mexico with the same routes and methods used to transport the cash proceeds from illicit drug sales. That often means using hidden compartments in vehicles ranging in size from small cars to tractor trailers, and bribing border guards to look the other way. The government of Mexico sued several major U.S.-based gun manufacturers in August, alleging the companies bear responsibility for the firepower the cartels now wield. Damages could run as high as $10 billion if the suit is successful, Mexican officials have estimated, though a federal law that shields gun companies from liability for crimes committed with their products makes victory a longshot.
How The ‘Craigslist Of Guns’ Helps Arm Cartels In Mexico
Sellers often need to pay a deposit to prove they’re serious, and they build their reputation through positive reviews. One of the most common is the exit scam, where a marketplace suddenly disappears and takes everyone’s money with it. By supplying stolen data, these dark web links fuel many online scams and identity theft operations, playing a critical role in the darker aspects of the internet. Ransomware and cryptocurrency-based crimes saw a significant increase in 2023, with a nearly $176 million rise compared to 2022.
