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. To purchase an illegal firearm previously, you had to contact a gang involved in arms trafficking.
Where Guns Are Sold Through The Darknet
Selling miniature, pocket-sized electromagnetic pulse generator devices are a popular market on the Dark Web in China. Capable of “frying” nearby electronic devices and rendering them dead, the applications for this tool are endless. It is a priority for CBC to create products that are accessible to all in Canada including people with visual, hearing, motor and cognitive challenges.
- However, in the course of our online conversation we noticed that their Ukrainian was full of grammatical errors.
- Fortunately, in Hidden Wiki, every website is followed by a brief description so that the user knows what to expect.
- Now, a report published by the RAND Corporation provides the first detailed glimpse into this hidden world.
- This software allows users to browse anonymously, leading to both legitimate and illegal activities.
- DarkOwl analysts have previously released a report detailing the presence of alleged cartel-affiliated marketplaces on the darknet and detailed some of their product offerings including sophisticated concealed shipping.
The Appeal Of Buying Guns On The Dark Web
DarkOwl discovered arms for sale on darknet onion services hosted on the Tor anonymous network in English, Russian, German, and Chinese Mandarin. A few sites offer mostly similar weapons found in gun stores or gun re-sellers found around the United States. Other sites advertise military-grade weapons that are typically not available to civilians, including anti-tank guided munitions (ATGMs), e.g.
” There is also evidence that incels are more likely to harm themselves than others. Far from being a person concerned about human rights, his words were often xenophobic, racist, and antisemitic. And this wasn’t exclusive to 4chan, which has a particularly offensive, obnoxious culture where perhaps not everything should be taken at face value.
FAQs About The Dark Web Gun Trade
All you’ll need is an 8GB thumb drive, an installation package, and a couple of minutes to get things up and running. The deep web is just the part of the internet you can’t find with a search engine. It’s not mysterious or spooky; it’s home to everyday things like scientific research, medical records, private financial information, and secure communications. The Dark Web is a hidden part of the internet, completely different from the clear web we all use daily. When you search for something on Google or Bing, you’re using the clear web. The risks include legal prosecution, financial loss, and potential physical harm.
Which Darknet Markets Are Still Open
Sonboly shot and killed 9 people, wounding 36 others, before killing himself. For some new drug dealers, sending out free small samples to well-known buyers can earn good reviews that drive in future customers. Credit card and identity salesmen can show off a sample of a few usable documents to prove their merit. The research, published in Deviant Behavior, revealed key insights on a trade that undercuts gun laws in the United States, as well as other countries around the world where regulations are tighter.
- Law enforcement agencies actively monitor dark web activities through undercover operations and advanced tracking technologies.
- An activist or activist group hacked Freedom Hosting II, and the site crashed in a short time, taking over ten thousand hosted websites with it.
- 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.
- It remains a perilous and illegal avenue fraught with dangers, both legally and physically, for those who dare to explore it.
- There are a number of sites out in the Deep Dark Web claiming to be selling weapons to anyone anywhere in the world.
- Winkel says years of sales records are already kept by retailers, and yet authorities aren’t effectively using that information to quickly flag straw buyers.
Understanding The Dark Web Gun Market

In the months that followed, other jihadis across Europe used the same technique. The risk is that a high-profile, mass-casualty attack involving 3D-printed guns could inspire other people to do the same. Apparently, this was news even to his friends within the 3D-printed gun community. They can be bought from online marketplaces, then repurposed to function as the barrel, bolt, and other pressure-bearing parts of the gun. Plastic Defence is a documentary about illegal 3D-printed firearms in Europe.
These websites could be used by nation states to conduct targeted attacks against financial institutions. The researchers dug into shops, or single-owner websites, using Tor, an anonymising browser popular with dark web users. They employed a scaping tool to track disguised vendors selling firearms, as well as to identify patterns of their operations. The study, produced for Australian Institute of Criminology tracked darknet markets between July and December 2019 and found 2,124 weapons for sale—1,497 handguns, 219 rifles, 41 submachine guns and 34 shotguns. This market is open to anyone with the financial means, and the technical knowhow, to connect to the dark web. Terrorists, criminals, even children can conduct these illegal transactions protected by the veil of anonymity offered by the dark web, from the safety of their homes, and without requiring any prior connections to suppliers.
The Dark Web Gun Trade: An Overview

“The current federal legal framework of statutes and regulations governing the buying and selling of firearms does not specifically address the use of the Internet to facilitate these transactions,” the GAO report notes. In fact, many people might not have been aware of this global underground network where weapons are illegally bought and sold anonymously with the click of a mouse. In conclusion, the dark web gun market is a dangerous and illegal marketplace that poses significant risks to both buyers and sellers. While law enforcement agencies are working to combat this issue, it is important for individuals to be aware of the risks and to avoid participating in illegal activities. It is also important to remember that the purchase of firearms should always be done through legal and regulated channels to ensure the safety and quality of the firearm.
Mr Brook said police initially went to an address in Redditch before going to the property in Hall Green, his parent’s home, where Asaan lived in an annex in the back garden. Asaan Hussain 23, of Green Avenue, Hall Green, pleaded guilty to charges of attempting to import a pistol and ammunition, possessing a prohibited weapon and ammunition and possessing articles for fraud. In October 2018, local enforcement officers planned and oversaw a controlled delivery of the meth package to Coughlin’s residence. After this wife, Lanna Spurlock, signed and received the delivery, police searched the property and found 8 grams of meth on the premises.
#1 Install A VPN

Instead, sites have complex .onion addresses, making them difficult to find without the exact URL. If you are in a country where gun access is restricted, rest assured that our online store is your solution. Buy firearms online from us today without the need for any FFL, C&R, or licenses, easing restrictions and enabling global accessibility. It is important to report any illegal activities to local law enforcement authorities to ensure public safety. Generally, purchasing firearms on the dark web is illegal and can lead to serious legal consequences depending on local laws. For those interested in firearms, it is crucial to consider legal avenues for purchasing guns.
Watchdog Finds Dozens Of Agencies Fail To Consistently Certify Procurement Data
The administrators also noted that the move was made “in the light of recent events in France,” though there is no evidence that the Paris terror attacks involved any resources obtained from the dark web. Evidently, these arrests have caught the attention of dark web market administrators. Nucleus, another marketplace, also recently announced it was not going to allow weapon sales.