Video Transcript

Katherine B., analyst, JCODE: One of the things that makes a darknet marketplace so dangerous in the eyes of law enforcement is the fact that it's such an easy to use platform. And not only is it easy to use, but it's misleading because you can go to these websites and they look very professional. They advertise products in a way that make you feel like you're buying something that is safe.

You have product pictures, you have reviews, there are descriptions of what you're getting. It comes through the U.S. mail system. There's a lot that is put into place that makes it appear to be legitimate, when what's really happening is there are people in garages or basements that are using pill presses to make their own pills and sell them online across the country and sometimes across the world.

The way these are manufactured, it's just so uncertain what is going to arrive on your doorstep. So you take a risk every time, no matter how many times it has been okay, there is a chance that it won't be the next time.