This podcast explores the evolution of dark web markets and how they have transformed over the years. From Silk Road to Alpha Bay, the moderators and structures of these markets continue to evolve even as law enforcement cracks down on them.
The owner of a dark market was able to keep their identity hidden, hire staff, and continually improve the market's features. As a result, online drug markets impacted not only on dark markets but also on regular street gangs that saw a decline in their profits.
The FBI traced an email address associated with the Alphabay dark web market to Microsoft's Hotmail service. They used this information to conduct an undercover investigation leading to the takedown of the marketplace.