Farmers Market bust!!! Careful Silk Road users!!!

[lseven7]

'Farmer's Market' International Online Drug Ring Busted, 15 Arrested


The Farmers Market was better then the Silk Road, I'm sorry to see it go. It kept a low profile, while the Silk road has been featured on every media outlet. The silk Road stole all their ideas from TFM in the first place. Can the Silk Road be far behind? Be careful everybody. Big brother is watching and waiting to pounce!

[Owlie]

Thanks for this informative post. Although I've never used the Farmers Market (or heard of it, for that matter), I think this is an important reminder that, when it comes to Internet purchases, you can never be sure who's watching! Sad and scary, but true.

[Dusty Bottoms]

I read the story and am curious as to how they ended up busting the site. Obviously they can't go into details but as a dork I like to know the ins and outs of how they busted them. Was it one someone who got caught and turned like sabu or was it some dumb little mistake.

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From the indictment:

"The online marketplaces have accepted Western Union, Pecunix, PayPal, I-Golder, and cash as payment for illegal drug sales. Customers who paid in cash for their orders sent the cash to addresses controlled by a co-conspirator. The co-conspirator then collected the cash and forwarded the cash, minus a commission, to the operators via Western Union or other means. The organization referred to the addresses used to accept this cash payments or individuals who accepted these cash payments as "cash drops.""

So moral of the story, don't be stupid. Use bitcoins.

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Another item from the indictment. They were using hushmail going back to 2006 and unlike tormail they cooperate with authorities and turned over all the information; they were also idiots for not encrypting their emails.

[itis]

this shite is crazy! I guess you do lose all anonymity when you have money sent to you. Even if you dont touch the drugs your still guilty by association. Looks more like LE ordered and worked theyre way back, or they untangled TOR.... simplest answer is ussually the correct one.

Damn though, If I had anything to do with that I think I would be SO sketchy ALL the time, dont see how I could go about my life.

[newage]

its a simple bust. All they do is follow the money. They can follow the pick up guy to wu and see where his wire was recieved. They can then pull the security footage from the store or location and see who picked it up. its really not complicated at all.

[twinturbo]

I don't see this having even the smallest impact on the selling of illegal drugs over the interwebs. SO MANY SELLERS, SO MANY BUYERS, SO MANY SITES. This isn't ever going to go away kiddies. Just a huge waste of our tax dollars and resources to basicly do nothing more than get a story into the media that they (govt) are doing something about this phenomenon. This is 2012 and it's not ever going to go away. Also this way of buying/sellling is so much safer than buying illegal drugs off some sketchy junkie/crackhead/gangbanger. But NO, the govt. would rather those who choose to purchase and use illegal drugs to risk their life buying it on the streets. F'ing crazy what our govt's priorities are and sickening to see the waste of tax dollars to fund the investgations and cases such as the one that this thread is about. Gotta have faith and hope that one day things will change. I believe things are slowly changing. It just takes time for the younger generation to get into positions of the govt where they are able to make a difference for the better.

Twinturbo

[Massiveamounts]

As long as I've been around this kind of thing this is my first hearing of "the farmers market" but it's bullshit feds should worry about keeping real criminals like rapists murderers and people like that off the street.

[angel eyes]

Just another reminder that "if" you are participating in an illeagle transaction, what can happen. I hate to think like that, but it's enivitable and I've been busted for less. Bastards. There is no more "land of the free".

[smokinjoe]

I posted some months ago that DEA had a program ongoing called raptor..just to take down tor sites. DEA website even stated the dates when this would happen.I give you a warning each time i visited dept of justice or dea sites I had tracking cookies and attack attempts.
I recently read 95 percent of emails go thru nsa the other 5 percent thru Britain. For self survival see nova web site and check out article called interview with NSA expert.people were allowed to email questions on what is being monitored, when asked what was the safest cell company to use,he stated all phone companies except t-mobil,[which has been bought out] let nsa monitor phone conversations with computerized programs when certain watch words are hit upon,it would take me 5 pages here to give all of these watch words i found posted on another site.tor is wide open see &&black&&market &&reloaded

[waterlogged]

It figures, Just when i'm finally starting to figure this whole tor thing out it will be usless before long.

[Jellyfish]

I read this on Ars this morning, I was about to post it, but @lseven beat me to it.

Just goes to show, there really is no privacy, at all..you can try all you like, but they'll always get you.
And if you're not doing something highly illegal..like being a self employed hitman, or selling wholesale Afghan hash, then is it really worth your time to jump through hoops, because you're buying a couple of painkillers/benzos off the net?

I don't mean that as a statement, I am genuinely undecided..

[matilda001]

I am still somewhat confused as to the legalities of purchasing medication online. If you are purchasing medication in small quantities for your own use, surely that cant be illegal? If it is, how can online pharmacies operate? All the police would have to do is google online pharmacies and get them closed? I have a rare sleeping disorder which my doctors had never heard of, as such they have limited knowledge on how to treat it and wont try me with alternative meds. So Im left with the option of living a poor quality of life with no sleep, or buying medication which greatly improves my quality of life.

[Jeremy Fisher]

I am still somewhat confused as to the legalities of purchasing medication online. If you are purchasing medication in small quantities for your own use, surely that cant be illegal? If it is, how can online pharmacies operate? All the police would have to do is google online pharmacies and get them closed? I have a rare sleeping disorder which my doctors had never heard of, as such they have limited knowledge on how to treat it and wont try me with alternative meds. So Im left with the option of living a poor quality of life with no sleep, or buying medication which greatly improves my quality of life.

It's illegal. I am sorry. I know it seems unreasonable sometimes to the all those pain (including insomnia) who try so hard to get relief through their doctors and fail. Internet pharmacies come and go, so it would probably take too much man power to bust all of them. Also, many don't sell meds at all, just steal money. So again ... is fraud w/in the scope of those feds who pursue illegal med transactions? Don't know.

[Roswell1947]

I am still somewhat confused as to the legalities of purchasing medication online. If you are purchasing medication in small quantities for your own use, surely that cant be illegal?

Read here~> FAQs

[typicalsquare]

It is illegal, no matter the legitimacy. It's interesting though to reflect with colleagues of mine who are third world refugees. One told me the other day "my country has migraine medication that will rapidly reduce your symptoms. My cousin has received visa and will be arriving...I will have him bring supply for you." I say, no, it's illegal.
I feel bad for us but law is law. If we don't like it, probably need to examine our personal responsibility in lawmaking practices.

[matilda001]

Read here~> FAQs

Thanks for that, it only appears to be USA laws so not sure if it applies to the UK laws. From what I have researched, as long as it is a 'legal' medicine ie not recreational drugs then a 90 day supply for personal use was acceptable. One of the meds that I order I do get a prescription for, however in the UK it is often a generic med that is supplied and not the original brand so I buy online to ensure I get the original brand. Although I dont send the prescription to the supplier, as I do get the med prescribed then I hope thats not illegal.

[typicalsquare]

The 90 day supply sounds like a legitimate, sound law. I don't know, well I guess I know intellectually the purpose of regulations, but dang. Awhile back we used to send the prescriptions for my grandad's meds to the international guys. Now, I see that as a useless step. (useless albeit illegal)

On original topic: I didn't ever realize fm/sr existed until now. Can't say there's really any defense to these practices <although I'd defend an accused>. Be safe.

[Roswell1947]

You re welcome. @matilda001
Hopefully the brand is the same colour as the generic.
Here in the States the DEA forces the pharmacies to put every detail on the bottle.
Colour, shape, imprint etc. Not sure if NIH is that strict over there so
when you receive meds just remove from blisters and put in RX bottle
to be safe.

[NotMyRealName]

For those that ordered on that site: What do you think the DEA will do with the database of "customers"? Nada?

[Dusty Bottoms]

For those that ordered on that site: What do you think the DEA will do with the database of "customers"? Nada?

They typically don't go after buyers unless they can be used to work their way up the food chain. In an instance like this it appears all the transactions and communications are already in government hands so there is no need to try to find others. But the indictment does mention unindicted co-conspirators which they might still try to go after but more than likely they will offer deals to get the people already in custody to turn on their other partners.