How cops busted Melbourne dad’s dark web fentanyl enterprise
A drug-addicted dad was making a tidy sum ordering fentanyl from China before trafficking the synthetic opioid, which is 50 times stronger than heroin, via the dark web. But then he was detected by undercover police.
Inner South
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A “responsible and devoted” drug-addicted dad trafficked fentanyl via the dark web from suppliers based in China.
The County Court on Tuesday heard how the man, who pleaded guilty to trafficking a drug of dependence, bought the banned highly potent synthetic opioid, which is 50 times stronger than heroin, from China and sold it under the guise of fake internet aliases, or “handles”, via encrypted sites Dream Market and Wall Street Market.
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The man, who can’t be named for legal reasons, was detected by investigators from Operation Sunroof — a Victoria Police initiative tracking fentanyl on the dark web — who launched a sting operation in January last year.
Covert operators purchased 100mg of fentanyl powder from one of the man’s dark web accounts for $US297.20 ($AU418.45) and, in February 2018, bought 100mg of fentanyl solution for $US290.88 ($AU409.57).
The drugs were mailed to a PO Box set up by police.
Investigators found the illegal drugs were posted from a Moorabbin East post office.
In May, 2018, investigators discovered the man had switched his operation to dark web site Wall Street Market after Dream Net announced it would be banning the sale of fentanyl.
Police raided his home and arrested him in August, 2018.
Investigators accessed the man’s laptop and his dark web accounts, with his full admission to police including an insight into the “methods” he used to get fentanyl imported into Australia.
The man said he had been trafficking fentanyl for three years but investigations revealed his offending was closer to two years.
Not long after his arrest, police seized a 500mg batch of fentanyl — worth thousands of dollars — that the man had ordered from China.
The man’s identity was suppressed out of concerns for his safety due to the “high level of co-operation” he provided to authorities.
The court heard the man was a responsible and devoted father who also had a “lengthy substance abuse history” of about “five or six years”.
He told police he sold the drug to fund his own fentanyl addiction.
The court also heard the man regularly used OxyContin.
Through his lawyer the dad said he stopped using drugs and had “significant remorse”.
Judge Patricia Riddell said trafficking drugs on the dark web was a “new dimension”.
She said China was the primary supplier of fentanyl to Australia.
“Its notoriously difficult to investigate the trafficking of drugs on the dark web,” she said.
“Fentanyl is a most potent opioid which is highly addictive. Time after time the court sees the impact prohibited drugs have on the community.”
Judge Riddell took into account the man’s lack of priors and accepted he only sold fentanyl to fund his own addiction.
She sentenced him to a three year community corrections order and 300 hours of community service.
He will also have to undertake treatment for drug use and mental health.
The man was also fined $200 for possessing a can of capsicum spray.
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