Why can we do this?

Why is it that we aren't revealing information about the DNMs that could lead to their compromise? Why can we blatantly talk about our recent purchases and vendors can advertise their products? Why haven't the LE figured it out yet? Or rather, what is it that prevents the LE from doing something about it.


Comments


[4 Points] None:

Why is it that we aren't revealing information about the DNMs that could lead to their compromise?

LE most likely monitors this subreddit. However, we don't discuss things here that they don't already know. What kind of information is being given out that could bring down Agora, for example?

Why can we blatantly talk about our recent purchases and vendors can advertise their products?

If people are practicing good Opsec they are using a reddit account created through tor and only logged into through tor when they talk about recent purchases or post vendor reviews.

I personally feel that vendors who advertise on reddit should take extra precautions.

Why haven't the LE figured it out yet? Or rather, what is it that prevents the LE from doing something about it.

I'm not really sure what you mean by this. LE is certainly aware of this subreddit but it is not illegal, it is merely a place for discussing DNMs.


[3 Points] kenosian:

Look at it from a LE point of view. Say a user reveals that they purchased some illicit substance from a particular vendor on a darknetmarket. LE could start an investigation, looking at a users post history, seeing if the used nickname has other web presense, or could even file a formal request with reddit for your IP address to find out the real identity. Of course, that only works if they are US LE, otherwise they have to first make a formal request with the appropriate US LE who can then get the IP address from reddit. Aside from the fact that this whole proces would take months, there is no guarantuee that the user even falls within the original LE's jurisdiction and the whole thing is a dud. That is assuming people aren't using TOR or some other obfuscating method to hide their traces.

But let's assume that from other research (post history, web presence) it appears that the user does fall within the jurisdiction of the investigating LEO. They jump through the hoops and get an IP adress (that leads back to the user), or spend a huge amount of time research disecting the web presence and post history to find more clues that lead to a real identity. Fine, they use this information and knock on the users door. Probably about 4-6 months after the original post. Now, assuming they even find product (being 6 months late and all), they can convict. If they don't find any product, they have no case. Unfortunately for them, 99/100 users here are just that: users. They don't sell, or have large stockpiles and quite frankly LE just spend a huge amount of resources for not much.

And since the end users are completely ignorant of the vendors identity/location, it's rather hard to use the user to go back to the source. In conclusion: LE just spend valuable time and resources worth ten thousands of dollars/euros to track down a few grams of MDMA. Or some pills and some stamps. Investigating LEO gets told to fuck off by boss for squandering resources.

TLD;DR Because anonimity is easy to attain, because LE work is made harder by jurisdictions and because in the end it is simply not worth the effort.