There are a number of sites out in the Deep Dark Web claiming to be selling weapons to anyone anywhere in the world. In August 2025, a former federal official was injured in an attempted carjacking. Against the wishes of city officials, Trump deployed the District of Columbia National Guard and federal officials from various agencies to Washington, DC, on a mission to assist in crime reduction.
What Types Of Guns Are Sold On The Dark Web?
The gun dealers selling on the dark web, the internet’s notorious underbelly, were of course not out in the open. In order for buyers to find and communicate with the gun dealers, they had to use Tor software to browse the dark web, also called deep web or darknet. All in all, the number of weapons that are offered on the platforms of the darknet is still significantly lower compared to the number of illegal narcotic drugs or counterfeit money, for instance. A relatively high number of fraudsters who only pretend to offer firearms or ammunition is also characteristic of the darknet.
- Debates over gun regulations make headlines across the world, but there’s an underground operation for weapons that has drawn very little attention—until now.
- While the trade was unlikely to fuel large-scale terrorist operations, it had the potential to become the platform of choice for “lone-wolf” terrorists to obtain weapons and ammunition, the report said.
- Despite that, Europe as a whole actually represents the largest darknet market for firearms with revenues about five times higher than the United States.
- Europe was cited as the largest market for darknet-purchased firearms.
- These tools scan dark web forums and marketplaces for any signs of your compromised credentials.
- Srinivasan also used the encrypted messaging application Wickr to communicate with and sell drugs to customers.
Arrest And Trial Of Ross Ulbricht
Even completing a transaction is no guarantee that the goods will arrive. Many need to cross international borders, and customs officials are cracking down on suspicious packages. The dark web news site Deep.Dot.Web teems with stories of buyers who have been arrested or jailed for attempted purchases.
The Dark Web Weapons Trade
The unique part is that the platform offers free samples of stolen information, often to attract more customers. In this era, it takes one wrong click and all your sensitive data ends up in the wrong hands. Therefore, you need to take your privacy seriously and start by using strong and unique passwords for every online account you open. Moreover, it’s not only the entertainment industry that gets hit; some sell cracked versions of the most expensive software, and others offer pirated eBooks and academic material at cheap prices.
Every year, illegal trafficking in small arms and light weapons is estimated to be worth somewhere in the region of $1.7 to $3.5 billion, equivalent to around 10 to 20 percent of the legal arms trade. Increasingly, all sorts of guns are finding their way onto the darknet from pistols to Kalashnikovs. Last year, a Global Financial Integrity study estimated the average price for the latter on the darknet is in the $2,800 to $3,600 range. On one side, markets are seemingly saturated with con-artists trying to scam money, as well as law enforcement agents posing as gun dealers. On the other, there are several publicized cases of people successfully buying and selling guns on the dark web, including weapons used in the 2016 Munich attack.
Darknet Vendors’ Trafficking Methods
In contrast, Europe accounts for 23.6 percent of the gun sales, which is unsurprising given that most European countries have stricter gun-control laws than the US. In Germany, for example, anyone under the age of 25 is required to pass a psychiatric evaluation before buying a gun. In France, firearm applicants are subjected to rigorous background checks and sales are denied to those with criminal records. In the United Kingdom, private citizens aren’t allowed to own handguns.
The dark web is a hidden section of the internet that you cannot reach with common search engines like Bing or Google. The only way in is through the use of special software that renders all users anonymous and untraceable. This is the type of exploitation and human trafficking commonly seen on the darknet. For example, many times listings for human trafficking victims on the darknet will be advertised as “escort services,” “child escort services,” “rentals,” “kid rentals,” and more. In other areas of the world, like Europe, there is more reliance on weapons purchases via the darknet; one underground marketplace advertised itself specifically as a provider of guns to the European Union. “In Australia, where firearms ownership is strictly regulated, illicit firearms are in demand by organised crime groups and criminals. One gun in the wrong hands can do damage,” Professor Broadhurst said.
The Marketplace As An Arsenal
The study suggests that dark web customers may simply be trying to skirt local gun control regulations — and once experts understand how these guns move, they may be able to intercept and stop the trade altogether. Alongside decommissioned military weapons, ammunition and fake weapon advertisements by various law enforcement agencies, 3D printed weapon kits and blueprints are also an emerging online product. The most common categories were handguns (70.5 per cent), followed by rifles (10.3 per cent), ammunition (3.7 per cent), submachine guns (1.9 per cent), explosives (1.7 per cent), shotguns (1.6 per cent) and accessories (1.1per cent). Digital products (5.3 per cent), CBRN (0.64 per cent) and miscellaneous weapons (3.3 per cent) were only listed on omnibus markets.
Domestic Policy Of The Second Trump Administration
A study by Rand Corporation found that weapons sold on the darknet are typically weapons that were already in the black market or weapons that were legally owned and then redirected to the darknet. According to the same study, the US was the most common country supplying markets. Europe was cited as the largest market for darknet-purchased firearms.
What Is The Cost Of Stolen Data On The Darknet Market?
This can be stopped if law enforcement agencies can break any link, particularly dark web marketplaces, in the chain. Hence, it should be the top priority to track these platforms and shut them down as quickly as possible. Ulbricht faced several serious charges, including distributing illegal drugs, running a criminal enterprise, hacking, trafficking fake IDs, and money laundering.
Most darknet services offer worldwide shipping with some exceptions to Russia due to their strict import controls. Purchasing guns on the dark web is illegal in most countries, including the United States. Guns are typically acquired on the dark web through a process known as “cryptocurrency tumbling.” This involves using a service to mix cryptocurrency transactions together, making it difficult to trace the origin of the funds. Once the funds have been tumbled, they can be used to purchase guns on the dark web.
How Much Is Stolen Data Sold For On Darknet Markets?
Later in 2022, the US Naval Research Laboratory built on Freenet’s idea to create a secure and encrypted network for sensitive communications, which was later released to the public as open-source software. This explains how the market of the dark web marketplace is affected. As Telegram has end-to-end encryption and anonymous profiles, it makes it an ideal choice for threat actors and hackers to take advantage of. Later, in 2013, Silk Road caught the attention of law enforcement and policymakers like US Senator Charles Schumer, who publicly called for a federal crackdown. That push led to the arrest of Ross Ulbricht, the founder of Silk Road, after a long and intense investigation. Imagine trusting a site where you’ve been buying or selling for months, and everything seems legit.
- That’s “a special-use top level domain suffix designating an anonymous hidden service reachable via the Tor network,” according to Wikipedia.
- DarkOwl discovered arms for sale on darknet onion services hosted on the Tor anonymous network in English, Russian, German, and Chinese Mandarin.
- There is also an urgent need to test the strength and enforceability of present-day national and international counter-arms trafficking systems, including policies, laws, regulations, actors and resources.
- In many countries, strict laws limit who can legally buy, own, or carry firearms.
- “The Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons on the Dark Web” can be accessed online here.
How The Dark Web’s Gunrunners Covertly Ship US Weapons To Europe
“The sellers were very clear about how the transaction would go, which underscored the need for consistent secrecy,” says Holt. Vendors on the dark web have honed their delivery tactics for weapons over the years through lengthy discussions on forums. The most common strategy is to disassemble weapons into many different parts that are then sent in different packages. Some parts are embedded in less conspicuous items like old stereos or printers to avoid detection.
