The research was based on similar methodologies to those previously used to analyze the dark web drug trade, which take scraped data from marketplaces typically accessed through the Tor network. According to the paper, the researchers identified 52 unique vendors selling weapons or similar items such as ammunition, explosives, or components such as silencers, spread across 811 listings and 18 markets (some sites have explicitly banned the sale of weapons). Our online gun store offers only brand new firearms and equipment, rigorously tested for quality and reliability. Purchase from our extensive collection, including handguns, shotguns, rifles, self-defense weapons and military weapons online, with the assurance of safety and security in every transaction. The global black market for guns continues to thrive, driven by smuggling networks, unregulated 3D-printed firearms, and weak regulations.
Silk Road (marketplace)
“Many people share the belief, myself included, that drugs should be legal and the dark web is that belief put into action.” “We don’t have enough courts, we don’t have enough judges, and we don’t have enough police officers to tackle the real scale of illegal behaviour on the internet. Analytical Services International, at St George’s University of London examined the drugs. Researchers from the 5 live Investigates team successfully accessed the dark web, and made a purchase of the hallucinogen DMT – a class A drug, ranking it on a par with heroin and cocaine. American student, David – not his real name – explains why he chooses to buy illegal drugs on the so-called ‘dark web’.
How Firearms Enter The Black Market

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. By performing a keyword and language correlation analysis across drugs, weapons, and human trafficking related advertisements in DarkOwl Vision, our analysts discovered at least 7 unique vendors who are involved in human trafficking are also involved in drug trafficking activities. The flow of weapons from the United States to organized crime groups (as the indictment above indicates) such as CJNG can then be leveraged by criminal groups to trade for drugs in Colombia, which will travel to Mexico and the United States. Thus, weapons from the United States typically end up in Mexico and Colombia and Colombian drugs find their way back to the United States.
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Our platform is specially designed to facilitate anonymous gun purchase transactions, ensuring the utmost discretion and security when you decide to buy guns online. The Biden administration has separately proposed a rule that would require thousands more gun sellers to get licensed and run background checks. The Justice Department says it’s aimed at sellers who are in the business of firearm sales, but the proposal quickly drew protest from gun-rights groups who contend it could ensnare regular people who sometimes sell their own guns. Multiple state and federal law enforcement professionals interviewed by Fox News noted that generally speaking, the cost of the black market firearm on the street is significantly higher than a legal purchase in-store. While it varies depending on location, a handgun that might cost a couple of hundred dollars retail in Florida might then cost a couple of thousand dollars on the much more stringently gun-controlled streets of New York City. These claims are not backed by credible evidence and may be part of a Russian disinformation campaign.
Anonymous Gun Purchase Guidelines
- Some fake sellers take your crypto and never ship what you ordered, or phishing sites that look like real marketplaces but steal your login info.
- Around 70 percent of the illegal firearms seized in Mexico are traced back to U.S. sales, according to the latest ATF data.
- Multiple state and federal law enforcement professionals interviewed by Fox News noted that generally speaking, the cost of the black market firearm on the street is significantly higher than a legal purchase in-store.
- Agent Mulham and the other two agents—John Curtis and Jason Zamaloff—all weighed in and agreed there is no precise formula for what handguns go for on the street, but basically guns are so readily available the black-market price is typically just a few hundred dollars more than retail.
- 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.
- Its commitment to privacy, diverse product offerings, and robust security measures make it a preferred choice for users seeking discreet transactions within the darknet.
Green and Winchester were only caught after the guns they purchased and resold were found at crime scenes and identified. Straw purchasing cases have also recently occurred in Alberta and B.C., with officers telling CBC News it is a growing concern for them as well. They are hidden in gas tanks, the trunks of cars, in luggage, or on someone’s body.

The most common firearms sold were pistols (84 percent) while rifles and submachine guns made up 10 and 6 percent of the listings, respectively. Roughly three-fifths of the weapons sold on a selection of dark web marketplaces originate from the United States, according to a new study examining the scope of the internet’s black market arms trade. In February 2023, the Department issued Volume II of the NFCTA, Crime Gun Intelligence and Analysis, which presents and analyzes data on crime guns (firearms used in crime) recovered between 2017 and 2021. The analysis reinforces the critical importance of ATF’s unique crime gun tracing authority and highlights the value of data from ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) program. 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.

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Listings also often include where a vendor will ship from, and where to, meaning researchers can see which destinations are more popular, or where items are sourced. Now, a new study from the non-profit research organization RAND Europe has attempted to provide some more clarity on the trade, estimating that weapons-related listings generate tens of thousands of dollars worth of transactions per month. Due to its extensive inventory and reputation for reliability, Brian’s Club has maintained a significant presence on the dark web.
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Those guns represent 54% of illegally trafficked firearms recovered in that period. Another 40% involved illegal “straw purchases” for someone unable to pass a federal background check. Apart from the laws mentioned above, the strongest laws against firearms trafficking prohibit the sale or transfer of a firearm if the seller has knowledge or reason to believe the buyer intends to subsequently transfer or resell the firearm to a third party without a background check. Around 70 percent of the illegal firearms seized in Mexico are traced back to U.S. sales, according to the latest ATF data. The clandestine nature of arms trafficking makes it difficult to gauge the true scope of the trade, but Mexican authorities estimate about 2.5 million American guns have poured across the border over the past decade.
How The ‘Craigslist Of Guns’ Helps Arm Cartels In Mexico
With just a few clicks, you can explore our vast inventory and complete your purchase, ensuring a smooth shopping experience. Wherever your location, Black Market Guns ensures your order arrives both securely and discreetly. We uphold our promise of worldwide shipping, allowing enthusiasts worldwide to effortlessly access our diverse range of firearms, ammunition, and accessories, all while keeping your identity private.
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- The legitimacy of arms for sale on the darknet is widely debated by darknet communities.
- The Biden administration has separately proposed a rule that would require thousands more gun sellers to get licensed and run background checks.
- The darknet cannot show the full extent of the complicated relationship between arms, drugs, and human trafficking.
- Various cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Monero can be used to make purchases.
In France, firearm applicants are subjected to rigorous background checks and sales are denied to those with criminal records. The marketing and sale of illicit substances occurs on the surface web, encrypted and non-encrypted chat platforms, via social media direct messages, in addition to the darknet. Online purchases of drugs are often delivered to a mailbox or a “dead drop” location, or sellers utilize mail services or international trade networks. Countries geographically close to the United States likely do not need to purchase firearms on the darknet and can rely on direct smuggling across the border. For example, it is estimated between 70% and 90% of guns recovered at crime scenes in Mexico can be followed back to the US drug cartels who smuggle them across the border. Understanding how firearms move globally within these unregulated networks is crucial to addressing their impact on society.
Though Brady was technically the head of an interstate gunrunning operation, he was really just a smalltime crook with a stupid plan to drive a trunk load of guns from Alabama to New York City. “They’re selling it, and a lot of it ends up with the drug cartels on our border,” Carlson said. In July 2022, according to court records, federal agents discovered a massive gun smuggling operation with ties to the Mexican cartel inside a home in southwest Arlington. In a 2022 BBC report, journalists went undercover on the dark web to debunk accusations made by Russian state media about Ukraine’s purported illicit weapons sales.
The illegal arms trade, often referred to as the black market for firearms, poses a significant threat to global security. Guns that are smuggled, stolen, or manufactured outside the bounds of regulation feed violence, crime, and conflicts worldwide. From untraceable 3D-printed weapons to sophisticated smuggling networks, the black market for guns operates on a scale that is difficult to measure but impossible to ignore. The guns were used in 368 shooting cases, which are harder to investigate because unlicensed dealers aren’t required to keep records of their sales that could allow federal agents to trace the weapon back to the original buyer, said ATF Director Steve Dettelbach. The ATF special agent in charge said when federal law enforcement ramped up gun trafficking efforts in border cities, the cartels started looking north to the DFW area for straw buyers.
The Top 7 Dark Web Marketplaces In 2025
Some markets are invite-only or have strict registration rules to keep out scammers and law enforcement. Some fake sellers take your crypto and never ship what you ordered, or phishing sites that look like real marketplaces but steal your login info. And then there’s malware—click the wrong link or download the wrong file, and your device could get infected.