Drugs on the Dark Net (PDF)

James Martin is Director of Research at the Department of Policing, Intelligence and Counter Terrorism at Macquarie University, Australia. He has a long-standing interest in both conventional and online forms of drug distribution, black markets and non-state governance, and the 'war on drugs'.

"This is a timely, topical and fascinating study that sheds much-needed light into the dark recesses of the Internet. Through an exploration of online cryptomarkets, Martin offers new insights into the globally shifting landscape of crime. It should be essential reading for all those interested in cybercrime, the trade in illicit drugs, and the impact of new technologies on criminal markets". - Professor Majid Yar, University of Hull, UK

"Drugs on the Dark Net is a must read for anyone concerned with online collective behavior and its implications for governance, policing and the very discipline of criminology. This beautifully written book makes clear that the concepts and language we use to understand the virtual drugs trade lag behind the mentalities and practices of those involved. Providing an important extension to analyses of 'nodal governance', Martin adds richness and nuance to our understanding of drug-related harms, online vendor-consumer relations, and the modes of self-regulation that protect and give meaning to these relations. Although law enforcement has had some 'wins' in this area, the very nature of these communities, and their resilience, is transforming policing as we know it." - Jennifer Wood, Associate Professor, Temple University, USA

"This book is a mind expanding . . . exploration of a high tech illicit market place that is essential reading for police, academics and the public at large." - Mark Lauchs, Associate Professor, Queensland University of Technology, Australia