Ads for dangerous drug ice multiply on Craigslist

DANGEROUS drugs can be in your hands in one hour. Dealers are tapping into a new market that makes it easier than ever to get a hit of ice.

CRYSTAL meth is being sold on public internet sites, disguised as bags of ice that will “keep you cool this summer”.

A string of ads posted on classifieds website Craigslist offer the drug to anyone wanting to “keep the party going”. Each ad has a picture of melting ice cubes and the words “bags of ice available! Stay cool for summer! 3 for $130”.

The dealer is in Melbourne and promises to deliver the goods to the city’s suburbs within the hour.

Dealers are also selling drugs through the Dark Web, a hidden, lawless place on the internet where people can access illegal substances.

A news.com.au investigation last year uncovered the Dark Web was hoarding $7.5 million in illicit substances. On marketplace Agora, Australian dealers offered more than 9000 individual listings of drugs in just one week.

The Dark Web is easy enough to access, but you need software to conceal your identity, as well as the dealer’s.

Craigslist does not have that sort of censoring, you don’t need to download any special software or be particularly computer savvy, and you can have anything you desire with a click of the mouse.

Dealers have been selling their product on sites like Craigslist for some time, but the ads are continuing to multiply, making it harder and harder to regulate.

Users say it’s easy to score through sites like Craigslist. Recovering meth addict Brian* told news.com.auhis life spiralled out of control when he discovered how straightforward it was to access.

Many addicts who buy their gear off the Dark Web have to have enough computer knowledge to use Bitcoin, a virtual currency. But with sites like Craigslist, anyone with an internet connection can have access to the ads within minutes of logging on.

DRUGS ONLINE A NEW ISSUE

Refocus rehab clinic director Barbara Kustra said using the internet to sell drugs was a new phenomenon and Craigslist was not the only channel dealers were using.

Ms Kustra said anybody who bought off sites like Craigslist was taking a serious risk.

“If you have something delivered, you don’t know what it is,” she said.

“Although it’s risky buying off the street, there’s usually a person that’s connected to the drug so people have to be more cautious about what they put in the drug because it’s easier to trace it back to them.

“People online could take more chances with dangerous chemicals because it is a faceless crime.”

An ad on Craigslist promoting the drug ice.

The rehabilitation worker imagined these ads would target young people.

“I think people under 25 are incredibly impulsive and computer savvy,” Ms Kustra said.

“I would imagine that if you’re an impulsive person at a party and you’re young with access to these ads, you’ve got trouble.”

She said drug experts and authorities were still working to understand online drug deals.

“I think like anything at the beginning they’re going to have to gain intelligence and get special task forces to deal with internet crime,” Ms Kustra said.

She warned everybody to stay away from Craigslist.

“You’re taking a really big chance,” she said.

“You don’t know who it’s from, what it is and you might get a batch that makes you go crazy, psychotic or overdose.”

Drug dealing over the internet is just another factor that could further stretch the ice epidemic and Ms Kustra said she had already seen the drug take control of many in the past few years.

“Five years ago about 20 per cent of people who came to rehab were on ice. Now it’s 60 per cent,” she said.

Methamphetamine, also known as crystal meth, is being sold on Craigslist.

Drugs on Craigslist are relatively cheap, with some dealers selling two bags of ice for $100 or four bags for $190.

It’s advertised in the Melbourne suburbs of Maidstone, Ascot Vale, Moonee Ponds, and Footscray.

RMIT University cyber security expert Mark Gregory said the internet was fast becoming a vehicle for people to break the law.

“It’s a problem of course for the website in that they’re trying to maintain a reputation,” he said.

“It’s also a problem for law enforcement because they obviously need to be gathering information and contacting these websites.”

Dr Gregory said people spoke in code in order to dodge site rules.

“It’s a constant battle for police to deal with this type of thing,” he said. “People are dealing online because it’s very cost effective, the market size is huge and it’s much more difficult to contact them because these people are anonymous.”

Experts are concerned drugs advertised on Craigslist could entice children to try them. Picture: Supplied

Dr Gregory said these public ads may entice children who could end up hooked on the drug.

“Children get sucked in and want to experiment with drugs and the availability of it is a real threat,” he said.

“But dealing online now is just the norm and we are about to see a lot more of it.

“These ads are popping up all over the place and we need to be aware of what our children are doing — it’s not good enough just to leave children on the internet without supervision.”

POLICE AWARE OF THE ISSUE

Victoria Police is aware of a number of websites that facilitate the trafficking of illicit goods and has conducted a number of investigations which have resulted in successful prosecutions from information gathered through these websites.

These investigations have involved illicit goods of varying quantities and values.

“Anyone who is engaging in illegal activity on the internet needs to be aware that Victoria Police actively monitor these sites and conduct proactive and covert investigations into online illegal activity,” a Victoria Police spokeswoman said.

“If you are conducting criminal activity within these forums you will be caught and charged.

“The Victoria Police E-Crime Squad is constantly increasing their skills and training to make sure they keep up to date with changing methods used by people selling and buying items online.

“Investigators also work closely with digital analysts to address new trends.”

Anybody with information relating to any illegal activity is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or you can submit a confidential report to www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.

* Name has been changed