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FBI seizes underground drug market Silk Road

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jfxphoto
Posts: 2038 - Karma: 2,346
Holy shit Silk Road finally going under??

I was sketched a few years ago, and it's been growing exponentially. This is huge.

What's next?


It appears the Federal Bureau of Investigation has finally cracked down on Silk Road, the underground marketplace where users could buy cocaine, heroin, meth, and more using the virtual currency Bitcoin. Journalist Brian Krebs has just published a purported copy of a complaint filed in the Southern District of New York against Ross Ulbricht, who is alleged to be the mastermind behind the site and the handle Dread Pirate Roberts.

Ulbricht is being charged with narcotics trafficking conspiracy, computer hacking conspiracy, and money laundering conspiracy. The site, which is only accessible through the anonymizing Tor network, has been pulled and replaced with an FBI notice. The Silk Road forums are still operating, suggesting they were hosted on a different server.

The complaint is based on statements made by Christopher Tarbell, an FBI agent who has been tracking Silk Road out of the cybercrime division in New York. Tarbell acknowledges "undercover activity" by himself and other law enforcement agents, something users have suspected for a long time. Law enforcement officers have made more than 100 purchases on the site since November of 2011, according to the complaint, and had the drugs shipped to New York for analysis.

Oct 2 2013 11:56AM
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theabortionator
Posts: 51260 - Karma: 157,386
First of all it's heroin, second you don't know what you're talking about.

Do you really believe that all the action is taking place on the internet? Sites like the skilk road bring the market home for people that would otherwise be able to find certain things, but there's a massive market out there most of which has nothing to do with those sites.

The only thing this will change is some peoples ability to go and buy shit. The supply of everything is still out there.


Do you really think junkies get on the computer that they haven't pawned, get on the internet that they definitely pay for, look around the silk road for a good deal on heroin, then patiently wait for the ups guy to bring them their package?

Oct 6 2013 4:21PM
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theabortionator
Posts: 51260 - Karma: 157,386
Anywhere you live there are people with drugs. Most people just suck at finding them. If you're addicted to heroin you have decent motivation for finding them.

Also if you aren't finding heroin around, it's pretty unlikely that you're going to get addicted to it.

It isn't like kids smoking weed where they buy a small amount to sell kids overpriced dime bags and then kids go to buy it and it's like " OMG EVERYBODY IS OUT OF WEED", because the 2 people they know that sell it are out.

Oct 6 2013 4:27PM
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2_fadez
Posts: 7780 - Karma: 4,180
Yeah, but if you are addicted and then move to a new town, you have no connects. And finding someone with heroin seems a helluva lot harder than weed. Weed is everywhere because it can be grown anywhere, and there are lots of users. Heroin has to be shipped in from overseas, usually through a gang or cartel, which are only in metropolitan areas.
Oct 6 2013 5:34PM
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Jeebus.
Posts: 4904 - Karma: 5,822
There is heroin everywhere too, but like you said if youre not into it then you might not think its there, but it is.
Oct 6 2013 5:37PM
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Mr.LemonPie
Posts: 4100 - Karma: 1,625
Yeah but if you can't find heroin you just get Krokodil. *skeezy drug dealer voice* it's just as good I swear....*/skeezy drug dealer voice*
Oct 6 2013 5:50PM
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theabortionator
Posts: 51260 - Karma: 157,386
It's pretty much everywhere. People go to places to grab it and then drive it back to their little communities and do it/sell it. You can find weed easily because the people you know smoke weed. If you were doing heroin, you would know other people doing heroin and places to get it. You might not know where to find weed. Also weed is more socially acceptable so people are more forward about it, and more people smoke weed than do heroin.

Also moving to a new area generally isn't much of a priority compared to getting money/h and nodding off. With the amount of drugs that come into the US everyday this site really won't do much to stop the overall flow. For people that this was their only source they're kind of fucked but whatever.

Oct 6 2013 6:49PM
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0123456789
Posts: 9226 - Karma: 148
updates
Oct 10 2013 6:47PM
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t_rob
Posts: 6433 - Karma: 11,458
okay I can't take it anymore, does this picture not kind of remind you of totally trevor?

Click for larger image

also..

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/08/silk-road-arrest-bitcoin_n_4063300.html
Oct 10 2013 6:51PM
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JustForYou
Posts: 275 - Karma: 2,143
It's like a fucking epidemic of people being shitty at posting vids/pics lately.
Oct 10 2013 7:24PM
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Randy_Quench
Posts: 5447 - Karma: 4,342
lately as in the 3 months you've been here?
Oct 10 2013 7:35PM
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JustForYou
Posts: 275 - Karma: 2,143
1. I go through accounts quickly. Been here a lot longer than 3 months.
2. 3 months still qualifies as enough time for a pic posting newb epidemic to take place.
3. I fucked your mother.
Oct 10 2013 7:41PM
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Barefootin_Fiend
Posts: 7618 - Karma: 4,727
this is fucking retarded. you're either lying, or you're a fucking retard for sucking so bad at the internet that you are forced to make new accounts so often. newb.


and on topic, LOL at CNN Money for claiming a coke habit costs $35 a week...and that anyone does just ONE 50 mg rail of coke a day...


Oct 10 2013 8:46PM
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JustForYou
Posts: 275 - Karma: 2,143
Seriously?
Oct 10 2013 8:49PM
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danderson.
Posts: 6560 - Karma: 5,252
I cannot breathe.
Oct 10 2013 8:55PM
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Barefootin_Fiend
Posts: 7618 - Karma: 4,727
seriously. i've never known anyone to do just one line. it may start that way, but 20 minutes later.....more, more, more, more, more, more.
Oct 10 2013 9:57PM
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skiersupreme
Posts: 1549 - Karma: 4,872
my druggie friend was telling me about this a few months ago. shit is scary he ordered in front of me. it comes like taped into the soles of shoes
Oct 10 2013 10:51PM
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a_pla5tic_bag
Posts: 9210 - Karma: 5,357
>NS
>frequent, long time buyers of illegal drugs off the internet

yup
Oct 10 2013 10:54PM
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henry_the_eighth
Posts: 153 - Karma: 73
no more top-shelf 270/zippers or good blow for me

bummer
Oct 11 2013 8:06AM
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zues
Posts: 6434 - Karma: -5,332
he might not be a genius but he's damn close. the guy made getting drugs safe and easy. People are going to get drugs no matter what.

he's still got his 80 million dollars too. Thats something the gov't can never take from him unless he gives up his password and I'm pretty confident he would never give it to our filthy greedy piece of shit gov't
Oct 27 2013 6:55PM
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zues
Posts: 6434 - Karma: -5,332
yea i really do believe "junkies get on the computer order heroine and wait for their package" if you've ever browsed the SR forums you would see plenty of people talking about "their orders" and inquiring when they were going to arrive.

you're not intelligent

Just because you do heroine doesn't mean you're selling your computer and shit and living in a cardboard box. there are quite a few normal people who function daily who are addicted to opiates and yet maintain a decent job.
Oct 27 2013 7:02PM
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zues
Posts: 6434 - Karma: -5,332
hahaha to the CNN comment. did they seriously say $35 a week? Gotta be a joke
Oct 27 2013 7:05PM
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zues
Posts: 6434 - Karma: -5,332
lol false
Oct 27 2013 7:06PM
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zues
Posts: 6434 - Karma: -5,332
hey kid. When you know nothing about a subject the best thing to do is STFU and stay out of it. you "think" you know everything but the truth is you're just coming off as ignorant
Oct 27 2013 7:11PM
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TechnoPotamus
Posts: 11626 - Karma: 3,522
friend of mine used to have molly shipped to him hidden in lipsticks, that was pretty wild to see the first time
Oct 27 2013 7:48PM
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ParkBeatsPow
Posts: 1 - Karma: 10
Tsk tsk tsk
Oct 27 2013 8:01PM
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MNS
Posts: 5386 - Karma: 3,241
I wouldn't say he's a genius. Just a programmer with a million dollar idea.

The way he got caught made him looks pretty dumb actually. He used his real name and email in online forums n shit. Rookie move.

It requires some smarts to set up the service, but not exceptional intelligence by any means.
Oct 27 2013 8:31PM
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Barefootin_Fiend
Posts: 7618 - Karma: 4,727
yeah, check out that link i posted. they're basically comparing the average weekly prices of different drug habits in different countries, etc., and they've stated that a coke habit costs about $35 a week. fucking LOLZ.
Oct 27 2013 8:51PM
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zues
Posts: 6434 - Karma: -5,332
you don't even have the story right first off. secondly I was referring to him to being very intelligent for getting a masters in physics.... you need to be somewhat intelligent to accomplish that. thirdly the guy ran an underground drug website for 3 years and accumulated 80 million dollars that the Gov't cannot seize from him. And now he has a bigshot lawyer representing him, funny enough 5 million dollars worth of bitcoins left his 'suspected' blockchain wallet the same time his bigshot lawyer was hired... hmm I think he actually is using that filthy untaxed drug money to fight against the gov't.. shows how much you actually know.


Maybe he slipped up, but that doesn't neglect the fact that he was highly intelligent. Because someone makes a mistake it negates that fact that they're highly intellectual? You sound stupid. so i'll go back to my previous comments of "you're ignorant"

please let the media continue to shove its dick down your throat and continue to be a sheep... you're doing a good job at it.
Oct 27 2013 9:00PM
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zues
Posts: 6434 - Karma: -5,332
If that was true I think it would be safe to say you would see a lot of people maintaing their "habit"

Oct 27 2013 9:02PM
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zues
Posts: 6434 - Karma: -5,332
oh yea, and I forgot to add that he made buying any drug you want as easy as one click on the computer.

so yea I think he's a genius.

but stay away ... drugs are bad for 12 year olds
Oct 27 2013 9:10PM
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zues
Posts: 6434 - Karma: -5,332
you cannot read. proving my point that i'm talking to a moron. thanks bye
Oct 27 2013 9:31PM
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zues
Posts: 6434 - Karma: -5,332
and your point about tax evasion sure is true with Al Capone. but comparing the two is negligable because now we're dealing with cryptic currency. everything we hear from now on is here say. They have already seized 25 million or so from a blockchain wallet that has been allegedly connected with ulbright.

He can give access to his wallet through a friend who can pay off a lawyer (which is what's being done at the moment)
Oct 27 2013 9:37PM
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jensen
Posts: 2575 - Karma: 1,250
You don't seem to understand bitcoins and how they work.
Oct 27 2013 9:38PM
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lineskier10
Posts: 11339 - Karma: 796
kill yourself
Oct 27 2013 9:39PM
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lineskier10
Posts: 11339 - Karma: 796
you dont seem to understand the government and how it works
Oct 27 2013 9:39PM
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jensen
Posts: 2575 - Karma: 1,250
Actually I am a CPA and understand probably a lot better than you do how the goverment and taxation works.
Oct 27 2013 9:45PM
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jensen
Posts: 2575 - Karma: 1,250
Tell me, how are they going to seize and garnish your bitcoins? Let alone ever find your bitcoins?
Oct 27 2013 9:46PM
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t_rob
Posts: 6433 - Karma: 11,458
I don't know... Maybe like this?


http://gizmodo.com/the-fbi-just-scooped-up-28-5-million-in-bitcoin-from-s-1452328051
Oct 27 2013 9:50PM
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jensen
Posts: 2575 - Karma: 1,250
Did you read that article and miss this sentence, "Ulbricht could have amassed—and stashed away—as much as 600,000 bitcoins, worth about $80 million. That's a lot of cryptocurrency! If that is indeed the case, the latest seizure means that the FBI hasn't even tracked down half of Ulbricht's cyber-fortune."?
Oct 27 2013 9:52PM
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t_rob
Posts: 6433 - Karma: 11,458
You sounded on your high and mighty ass like they'd never get a cent. Sure, they didn't even get half of it but there's a big difference between that they'd never be able to "ever find your bitcoins" and getting $28.5 million.
Oct 27 2013 9:55PM
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jensen
Posts: 2575 - Karma: 1,250
Whoop dee friggin doo. They stumpled across one wallet he probably had stored on the silk road servers they seized. They WON'T be able to find bitcoins he has stashed somewhere in the TOR network. In case you have missed this whole thing, tThey could NOT trace the silk road servers through the TOR network. They found him because of his postings on forums talking about starting such a site with his own name.

The TOR network is untracable and anonymous, no ifs ands or buts. If he has bitcoins stashed out there the only way they will be able to find them is either by him giving them up, or someone else with personal knowledge of how to get them giving it up.

As far as tax evasion, they have to prove he has them first, which is impossible to do on an ANONYMOUS network.
Oct 27 2013 10:00PM
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zues
Posts: 6434 - Karma: -5,332
this
Oct 27 2013 10:01PM
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jensen
Posts: 2575 - Karma: 1,250
Why do you guys get so worked up about this anyways? Is it a personal anti-drug vendetta or something?
Oct 27 2013 10:01PM
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zues
Posts: 6434 - Karma: -5,332
And I would like to give a big shoutout to the US Government for now publicizing the idea of SR and actually making the blackmarket of online drug trade grow.

When SR was taken down there were 13,000 listings. Between Black Market Reloaded and Sheep marketp place it's now exceeding 15,000

Another battle won for the war on drugs for the US gov't. so glad they're spending billions per year to prevent myself from exercising my freedoms of what I can and cannot do to my body. Thumbs up guys! thanks for the help.
Oct 27 2013 10:08PM
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zues
Posts: 6434 - Karma: -5,332
once again clownface. it's not going to be him spending the money. it's going to be all of the other SR admins who now, more than likely, have access to the wallet. There was a whole system put into place when shit hit the fan. do you even understand how bitcoins work? they can be transfered anywhere to any machine all over the world. once tumbled, they're virtually untraceable. you're just not grasping the subject matter are you?

And his IDEA is whats genius. online drug trade that works... it's a genius idea and he implemented it perfectly for almost 3 years. So yes, i think he's a genius so stop thinking whining. Try to comprehend my text.
Oct 27 2013 10:13PM
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jensen
Posts: 2575 - Karma: 1,250
Fair enough. I don't think the silk road guy was a genius. I think he was in the right place, at the right time, with the right resources. The real genious is Satoshi Nakamoto, which is a pseudonym for the person/people who wrote this paper coming up with the idea for bitcoins:

http://bitcoin.org/bitcoin.pdf

To this day no one knows where this paper originated but it IS the foundation of bitcoins.

As for the IRS and his money, as I mentioned above, do live in the US where the government cannot garnish your wages or spending without proof of tax evasion. In order to do that, they have to PROVE he earned $80million through running silk road. The only way they will find that money is if he gives it up. Would you give up your $80 million you know the government can't prove you have?
Oct 27 2013 10:15PM
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zues
Posts: 6434 - Karma: -5,332
so he took the hit and got arrested but the idea lives on. His idea is genius. get over yourself dude... online drug trade that's extremely difficult to trace. brilliance. It's the first step in the small revolution.
Oct 27 2013 10:26PM
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zues
Posts: 6434 - Karma: -5,332
everyone makes mistakes. just part of life. i'm all for it though
Oct 27 2013 10:35PM
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zues
Posts: 6434 - Karma: -5,332
haha ... even geniuses don't make mistakes.... are you serious?

So ElGato... would you a call Albert Einstein a genius? probably not right, because he makes mistakes.



"A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new."
- Albert Einstein.



I'll go back to my initial and only argument. You're a fucking idiot
Oct 27 2013 10:55PM
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zues
Posts: 6434 - Karma: -5,332
here's one for you

The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits.


There ya go man
Oct 27 2013 10:57PM
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