Hydra: A Quantitative Overview of the World's Largest Darknet Market

Goonetilleke, Priyanka; Knorre, Alex; Kuriksha, Artem

doi:10.2139/ssrn.4161975

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 39 publications

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“…Wang et al focus on the detection of multiple identities of vendors in darknet marketplaces by utilizing deep learning based image matching in [30]. Goonetilleke et al examines the Hydra [15] with respect to its mechanisms and execute a quantitative analysis of users. Today darknets are also created by messenger services, as e.g.…”

Section: Related Workmentioning

confidence: 99%

Scraping and Analyzing Data of a Large Darknet Marketplace

Yannikos

Heeger

Steinebach

2023

JCSANDM

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Darknet marketplaces in the Tor network are popular places to anonymously buy and sell various kinds of illegal goods. Previous research on marketplaces ranged from analyses of type, availability and quality of goods to methods for identifying users. Although many darknet marketplaces exist, their lifespan is usually short, especially for very popular marketplaces that are in focus of law enforcement agencies. We built a data acquisition architecture to collect data from White House Market, one of the largest darknet marketplaces in 2021. In this paper we describe our architecture and the problems we had to solve, and present findings from our analysis of the collected data.

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Section: Related Workmentioning

confidence: 99%

Scraping and Analyzing Data of a Large Darknet Marketplace

Yannikos

Heeger

Steinebach

2023

JCSANDM

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Association of Drugs for Sale on the Internet and Official Health Indicators: Darknet Parsing and Correlational Study

Soshnikov,

Bekker,

Idrisov

et al. 2024

JMIR Form Res

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Background Studying illicit drug circulation and its effects on population health is complicated due to the criminalization of trade and consumption. Illicit drug markets have evolved with IT, moving digital to the “darknet.” Previous research has analyzed darknet market listings and customer reviews. Research tools include public health surveys and medical reports but lack neutral data on drugs' spread and impact. This study fills this gap with an analysis of the volume of drugs traded on the darknet market. Objective We aimed to use the dark web data and officially published indicators to identify the most vulnerable regions of Russia and the correlations between the pairs of variables to measure how illicit drug trade can affect population well-being. Methods We web-parsed the Hydra darknet drug marketplace using Python code. The dataset encompassed 3045 individual sellers marketing 6721 unique products via 58,563 distinct postings, each representing specific quantities sold in different Russian regions during 2019. In the second stage, we collected 31 variables from official sources to compare officially collected data with darknet data about amounts and types of selling drugs in every 85 regions of Russia. The health-related data were obtained from official published sources—statistical yearbooks. Maps, diagrams, correlation matrixes, and applied observational statistical methods were used. Results In 2019, a minimum of 124 kilograms of drugs circulated daily in small batches on the Russian darknet. Cannabis dominated the market, being 10 times more prevalent than opiates, and cannabis products' higher availability in the region is correlated with a lower incidence of opiate overdoses. The “grams of opiates in the region” variable is significantly correlated with drug overdose deaths (r=.41; P=.003), HIV-positive cases due to drug use (r=.51; P=.002), and drug court convictions in Russia (r=.39; P=.004). The study identified significant correlations between opiate sales on the darknet and higher rates of HIV among injection drug users (r=.47; P=.003). Conversely, regions with higher cannabis sales exhibited significant negative correlations with indicators of harmful drug use (r=–.52; P=.002) and its prevalence (r=–.49; P=.001). These findings suggest regional variations in drug sales on the darknet may be associated with differing public health outcomes. These indicators accurately reflect regional drug issues, though some official statistics may be incomplete or biased. Conclusions Our findings point to varying levels of risk associated with different types of drugs sold on the darknet, but further research is needed to explore these relationships in greater depth. The study's findings highlight the importance of considering regional variations in darknet drug sales when developing public health strategies. The significant correlations between drug sales data and public health indicators suggest that region-specific interventions could be more effective in addressing the diverse challenges posed by illicit drug use.

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Association of Drugs for Sale on the Internet and Official Health Indicators: Darknet Parsing and Correlational Study (Preprint)

Soshnikov,

Bekker,

Idrisov

et al. 2024

Preprint

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BACKGROUND Studying illicit drug circulation and its effects on population health is complicated due to its criminal nature. Illegal drug markets have evolved with technology, moving online to the “darknet.” Previous research has analyzed darknet market listings and customer reviews. Research tools include public health surveys and medical reports but lack neutral data on drugs' spread and impact. This study fills this gap by analyzing the amount of drugs traded on the darknet market. OBJECTIVE This study's main objective is to bridge Public Health and the investigation of the illegal drug market. By analyzing the scale and nature of drug availability, the frequency of offers, and the regional distribution of illicit drug activities on a Hydra market, we aim to link these findings with official indicators of illegal drug use disorders. METHODS We web-parsed the Hydra Darknet narcotics marketplace using the Python code. The data set encompassed 3045 individual sellers marketing 6721 unique products via 58563 distinct postings, each representing specific quantities sold in different Russian regions—data extraction dates: August-December 2019. In the second stage, we collected 31 variables from official sources (Ministry of Health, Police reports, etc.) to make comparisons and to check how these indicators relate to Hydra data about amounts and types of selling drugs in every 85 Russian regions (oblast). The data were obtained from official sources (statistical materials). Maps, diagrams, correlation matrixes, and applied observational statistical methods were used. RESULTS In 2019, Russia's Darknet circulated a minimum of 124 kilograms of narcotics daily in small batches, with a notable decrease during COVID-19. Cannabis significantly dominated the market, being ten times more prevalent than opiates, and cannabis products' higher availability in the region is linked with reduced opiate overdoses. High HIV rates among drug users are linked with the amounts of opiates by region. Regional drug consumption varied, influenced by socioeconomic and cultural factors. For example, while marijuana constituted 20- 30% of total consumption, Krasnodar showed unusually high opiate use (22.50 grams per 100,000). Urban areas reported more drug use than rural, with regional anomalies like Karelia and Chukotka indicating unique local influences. CONCLUSIONS This study underscores the importance of a region-specific approach to drug policy in Russia. Policymakers should consider the unique contexts of each region, including the prevalent types of drugs, socioeconomic factors, and local attitudes toward drug use. While nationwide policies can provide a broad framework for combating drug use and related HIV and its associated harms, region-specific strategies are critical for effectively addressing local realities. CLINICALTRIAL None to declare

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Hydra: A Quantitative Overview of the World's Largest Darknet Market

Cited by 3 publications

References 39 publications

Scraping and Analyzing Data of a Large Darknet Marketplace

Scraping and Analyzing Data of a Large Darknet Marketplace

Association of Drugs for Sale on the Internet and Official Health Indicators: Darknet Parsing and Correlational Study

Association of Drugs for Sale on the Internet and Official Health Indicators: Darknet Parsing and Correlational Study (Preprint)

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