CORONA VIRUS: DARK WEB MARKET BANS DRUG DEALERS SELLING FAKE COVID-19 VACCINES
A drug marketplace on the dark web has banned vendors from selling fake vaccines or cures for coronavirus, as illicit markets attempt to deal with an influx of false treatments for Covid-19.
Many sites on the dark web – an isolated section of the internet that is only accessible using specialist software – have seen a surge in useless and dangerous materials being sold with claims they could protect people from the disease.
But Monopoly Market, which lists drugs ranging from cannabis to steroids, said it would permanently remove any members attempting to peddle unproven medicines.
The site is a relatively new market on the dark web, counting just over 100 active vendors who sell and ship illegal drugs to buyers in exchange for cryptocurrencies like bitcoin and monero.
The warning to sellers comes amid a recent influx of coronavirus-related drugs and treatments advertised by scammers and criminals across dark web marketplaces.
“You do not, under any circumstances use Covid-19 as a marketing tool,” the post stated. “No magical cures, no silly f***ing mask selling, toilet paper selling. None of that b*******. We have class here.”
It is not the first time drug suppliers on the dark web have taken a moral stance against dubious or harmful products.
In 2018, major operators voluntarily stopped selling the synthetic opioid fentanyl after it was linked to hundreds of accidental overdoses.
Fake coronavirus vaccines that claim to be "fully tested and confirmed" continue to be listed on other popular dark web marketplaces seen by The Independent, despite experts warning that it will take a minimum of 18 months for any medicine to meet regulatory tests and standards.
Other dark web sites promote chloronique pills as a "miracle drug for coronavirus", according to lawyer and author Eileen Ormsby, who first drew attention to Monopoly Market's unique policy.
"A vendor on Whitehouse Market makes the dubious claim, 'This drug will help people to beat Corona Virus'," she told The Independent.
Ms Ormsby, who wrote the seminal book The Darkest Web, also observed listings for chloroquine on the popular Empire Market, including some from a "well-known and trusted vendor" on the site.
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