Earlier this year, the U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) issued a warning to its personnel for buying LSD on the dark web and trading it among themselves.
LSD is one of the most popular psychedelics in the U.S., and the increased demand for such products has jacked up their demand. The NCIS no longer conducts routine drug tests, but it did observe a surge in the number of Navy personnel that buy LSD on the dark web. The NCIS warned that it would punish any Navy personnel caught buying or selling LSD.
The dark web is assessable through onion routing, which provides anonymity, allowing Navy personnel to secretly access illegal items such as LSD from the dark web. Cryptocurrencies further enforce the anonymity necessary for safely navigating the dark web. Several army and navy members were caught selling MDMA and LSD in Japan in 2018. Unfortunately, the anonymity provided by the dark web makes it difficult to identify any culprits.
The NCIS wants to crack the whip on the vice to avoid the risks of potentially adulterated psychedelics that may pose a health risk to users. The dark web is unregulated, which means there is no quality control, especially on substances such as drugs. The NCIS also wants to protect Navy members selling the psychedelic products from other risks such as being arrested in a foreign country for selling illegal products.
Besides taking stern action against any navy members found selling psychedelics, the NCIS will also reward anyone who will disclose information on those selling the products. LSD, MDMA, and other psychedelic products have become quite popular, especially during the coronavirus pandemic. Psychedelics are traditionally easy to find at restaurants, but the lockdown measures forced their closure, making it difficult for people to access the drugs. Some navy and military personnel saw an opportunity to fill a niche.
