According to the article “Silk Road: The Amazon.com of illegal drugs” in The Week magazine, posted on June 2, 2011, the author states that an illegal drugs e-market, Silk Road, disregards the law by permitting the commerce of drugs without personal identification. Silk Road is a website similar to Amazon which offers many kinds of drugs such as LSD, marijuana, and heroin. Moreover, this website is very protective; thus consumers face some obstacles to get to it. For example, users must download Tor, which is an anonymous network, in order to hide the user's data and information. In addition, this exchange can be done by seeking a dealer who has a good users' feedback. Then Bitcoin, which is an untraceable online currency to buy drugs, can be used. After that, the seller uses inventive packaging to dispatching the order. Finally, Garzik.J, Bitcoins' developer, noted that this currency is not entirely hidden.
From my perspective, it seems that authorities should take tough actions toward this flagrant violation of the law. First, I think this website should be closed, but if the authorities attempt to marginalize it, then it might develop to include weapons which could increase the black market. Further, the website's creator must tried as a criminal. Also, the sellers must be detected and arrested. In addition, all the mail shipments must be checked. For instance, detectors and police dogs should be used. This way, when the order isn't delivered, users will become distrustful the website, and this will taint the Silk Road's reputation. Furthermore, the Bitcoins method should be modified, so the users can be identified and known. While this modification will indirectly decrease the online buyers, it may also reduce the money laundering. In conclusion, I hope the Silk Road will shot down soon, and we can live in a clear society, less worried for our family's safety.
The solutions that you have addressed are very reasonable to solve the problem of illegal sale of most dangers products. As you said, at some point on-line purchases can lead to a black market where illegal products flow to consumers or dealers. Taking example of marijuana, some states have approved the legal use of this product and other not. What would be the best way to deal with dealers that eventual buy the drugs and resale?
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