Silk Road is a historically important international trade route between China and Mediterranean and it has now given way to a website going by the same name. The website is operated as a Tor hidden service, such that online users are able to browse anonymously and securely without potential traffic monitoring. This has made Silk Road popular with people involved in the black market trade. People can be able to buy illegal things such as guns, drugs and pornography. Illicit drugs are some of the most popular items on the site and you can find a gram of uncut Colombian cocaine being listed with a price tag of $100.
In October 2013, the FBI arrested the owner of the anonymous marketplace and shut it down. However, Silk Road 2.0 was launched and it promised a new and slightly improved version of the anonymous black market for drugs and other contraband. The new site still uses Tor for anonymity and people can transact using the online currency known as Bit Coins. The administrator of the website goes by the handle Dread Pirate Roberts. A new security feature has been introduced, allowing users to utilize their own encryption key for additional authenticity.
Even as the government tries to hinder the activities of black marketers, the idea of the Silk Road is here to stay. The website could even lead to safer drug use. This is because it can provide an alternative to cartels that control the drug trade. By cutting out the middlemen, the anonymous marketplace can provide a cheaper way for someone to get drugs. Most people who use Silk Road are peaceful, unlike the violent drug cartels that operate in places like Colombia and Mexico. The website can also provide a system that can be used when the authorities decide to legalize the sale of drugs.
The prominence of illegal drugs on Silk Road suggests that the internet could change drug dealing as it did with the sale and distribution of movies and music. Instead of waiting in a dark alley for your drug dealer to show up, you can now safely buy your next fix online. The anonymity of the whole setup means that you also don’t have to worry about being caught by the police when you are buying illicit drugs. In addition, you can do the whole transaction from the comfort of your home or office.
Just because something is illegal, it doesn’t mean that it’s wrong. Laws are made by people and so they can also change them. Fighting drugs is an expensive undertaking and criminalizing drugs only makes people take unnecessary risks, which could lead to contamination of drugs and overdoses. If websites such as Silk Road were allowed to operate freely, there would be fewer addicts and drug dealers on the streets. Even in the 1920s, prohibition did not work and since there are many people who are looking for illicit drugs, guns and porn, they should be allowed to do it in a safe and secure manner. Internet has provided a safe platform for people trade in black market.
