As this threat has grown, DEA has also increased its effort to go after these cyber drug
dealers. There no longer needs to be a direct interaction between these modern criminals and the
drug seeker, they have the ability to reach directly into every computer on the Internet. Whether
temptation in the form of a cleverly worded “spam” email or someone actively seeking to
acquire narcotics without seeing a doctor, the Internet has created a whole new delivery and sales
system for drug traffickers.

While Internet investigations do offer the advantage of having an extensive paper trail,
the amount of information generated by one web transaction is so voluminous it becomes
difficult to separate the important investigative information from the routine.
The methods and structures of these online organizations continue to evolve, and we are
watching some organizations adjust and shift operating methods in response to law enforcement
initiatives.

In short, the Internet has provided drug trafficking organizations with the perfect
medium. It connects individuals from anywhere in the globe at any time; it provides anonymity,
and it can be deployed from almost anywhere with very little formal training. All of these
features allow for a more rapid means of diverting larger and larger quantities of controlled
substances. The proliferation of rogue Internet pharmacies has also brought new legal challenges.