Illicit Trafficking of Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic or Potent Substances with the Use of Distance Communication Technologies: New Criminal Ways

Abstract

Illicit trafficking of narcotic drugs traditionally holds a special place among criminal threats due to the scale of its negative social impact. In the conditions of global informatization, the mechanism of drug trade is transitioning to an active use of contactless means of committing crimes. Information and telecommunication technologies allow offenders to design increasingly sophisticated criminal schemes of drug trafficking whose matrix is made up of deliberate and thoroughly planned actions. The study reported in this article considered typical methods of contactless drug trade through mobile communication tools - pre-order and instant online offer. The author examined changes in the typology of the members of modern organized drug trade criminal groups involved in contactless drug delivery using information and telecommunication technologies. A typical structure of a criminal «store» is presented. According to the author, the proposed research approach to understanding the mechanism of illicit drug trade, which is based on the use of distance communication devices and information-telecommunication technologies, should render more focused the work of law enforcement aimed at searching, identifying and preserving proof on the stages of creating such organized criminal groups, coordinating the actions of their structural elements, forms of finding and recruiting their new members, and a comprehensive system of drug trades IT support.