Justice Department Targets “Dark Web” Drug Vendors

The Justice Department announced it has charged more than 35 people with selling drugs on the “dark web.”

The New York Times reports this is the first time federal prosecutors have targeted sellers of illegal goods rather than operators of illicit online marketplaces.

Vendors were arrested in New York, Maryland, Ohio, California and Vermont. Agents seized 333 bottles of liquid synthetic opioids, more than 100,000 tramadol pills, 100 grams of fentanyl and more than 24 kilograms of Xanax. They also seized more than 100 firearms, $3.6 million in U.S. currency and gold bars, and 15 pill presses, which are used to create illegal synthetic opioids.