De Andrés said that 60 percent of all payment fraud in Central America and the Caribbean is due to card not present transactions. And according to market analytics firm Juniper Research, Brazil and Mexico, two of Latin America’s most significant economies, had the highest 2016 chargeback fraud rates in the world at 3.5 percent and 2.75 percent, respectively. With gaps in the crop protection market brought on by bans and resistance issues, growers are searching for options that will work. The idea that growers might be looking for solutions is one theory, but also, there is the cost savings of black-market products. As Mexico ramps up its fruit and vegetable production, exporting food to the U.S. and other countries, it shows potential for industry growth in crop protection, both agrochemicals and biologicals, as well as plant health. Black market activity ranges high in comparison to other countries and makes legitimate business difficult.
Market Tour With Eat Like A Local
For example, in November 2023, FGR reported seizing 64.8 kilograms of 1-Boc-4-Piperidone, 1-BOC-4-AP, and 4-AP –key fentanyl pre-precursors– on a passenger bus bound for Culiacán. A month later, authorities intercepted 7 kilograms of 4-anilino-N-phenethylpiperidine (ANPP), the primary fentanyl precursor, on the highway connecting Culiacán to Ahome, a municipality to the north of Culiacán. While there are no official statistics on fentanyl labs, the FGR continued reporting fentanyl precursor seizures in Culiacán and its surrounding areas after the Chapitos prohibition in May 2023. It is unclear whether Mexican authorities see these dynamics in the same way. The effects of this tighter control over fentanyl production may be beginning to show. Gaining permission from Sinaloa Cartel factions is not straightforward and relies heavily on trust, according to several actors involved in drug trafficking that we interviewed in Culiacán.
They join other factions to keep doing the same thing,” said the producer currently serving a sentence at the Aguaruto Prison in Culiacán. This alignment meant selling only to approved buyers, meeting production quotas, and investing more in security to protect against rival groups – an issue they did not face in Culiacán before the ban. At least seven individuals involved in various aspects of the fentanyl trade in Sinaloa confirmed that these offers mainly came from groups operating in the northern states of Sonora and Baja California, close to the US-Mexico border. Moreover, from June 2023 to July 2024, authorities dismantled nine pill manufacturing centers in Culiacán, while SEDENA and the National Guard reported confiscating at least 525 kilograms of fentanyl and 5.4 million pills in the city.
What Is The Market Share Of Different Product Categories In The Dark Skin Cosmetic Market?
This increased investment in infrastructure is expected to significantly boost the growth of the dark fiber network market in Mexico, as more regions and sectors gain access to advanced connectivity solutions. Dark markets, on the other hand, are platforms within darknets where illicit transactions occur. These marketplaces facilitate the exchange of everything from stolen credentials and drugs to weapons and hacking tools. The anonymity and encryption provided in dark markets create a haven for cybercriminals and nation-state actors to buy and sell dangerous assets while evading detection. It offers impressive features, including PGP-signed addresses, payment via Monera, sticky and featured listings, and auto shops. In 2017, the website went offline following a law enforcement action taken by the American, Canadian, and Thai authorities, but since August 2021, it’s been operational again.
Escrow Surge
Drughub excels in pharmaceutical dark pool trading with 15,000+ listings and $2M monthly via BTC. Serving 8,000+ users and 600+ vendors, it holds a 10% share of drug commerce—an emerging force since 2023. Archetyp powers 28,000+ listings and $3.5M monthly trades on BTC and XMR, securing a 6% market slice. Its 12,000+ users and 900+ vendors rely on a 95% trust rating, making it a go-to for quality-focused trading in the onion network. Tor2door’s been a standout since 2020—over 20,000 listings and a custom-built site that’s not some cookie-cutter junk.
- In recent months, DarkOwl analysts discovered multiple escrow-enabled decentralized marketplaces on the dark web that claim to be affiliated with the Sinaloa Cartel.
- Dark fiber networks, offering secure and high-capacity connections, are increasingly being adopted by data center operators to meet their connectivity requirements.
- It is considered a go-to site for malware purchasing, providing keyloggers, trojans, and other Malware as a Service products.
- Latest updates from the darknet trading world as of February 2025—key shifts and developments.
- Torzon Market has established itself as a significant player in the darknet ecosystem, offering a secure, user-centric platform for anonymous trading.
- Mega Market is a new yet popular shop on the dark web that reached a skyrocketing reputation after the closure of the Hydra market.
Glovo is a food delivery service, so getting this account would presumably allow the buyer to get food delivered to them and charged to the account owner. Eroski is a supermarket, so perhaps such an account would allow the buyer to shop online and have groceries delivered to them but charged to the account owner. Other similar accounts on offer include loterias (the national lottery system in Spain), OnlyFans, and Burger King. Darknets are not limited to criminal activities; nation-state actors use these hidden platforms for espionage, disseminating propaganda, and recruiting agents.
Dark Fiber Network Market Scope
Most of the illicit drugs entering the United States that are seized by authorities are discovered at official ports of entry, of which there are more than three hundred. Another splinter group of the BLO, Los Rojos operates primarily in central and southwestern Mexico and relies largely on kidnapping and extortion, as well as trafficking of drugs such as cocaine and heroin. The group’s base of power is in the northeastern state of Tamaulipas, where it is thought to be working with CJNG members, though it also reportedly has operations in several other states on the Gulf coast. In the past decade, the group has splintered into various factions, diluting its strength as it battles for territory with Los Zetas. In 2021, three warring Gulf factions announced they had reached a truce, insisting that they wanted to maintain peace in Tamaulipas.
Missing The Wider Landscape Of Digital Harms
Sometimes, exit scams occur, like the case of Empire Market, where the admin team reportedly took $30 million worth of Bitcoin in August 2020. Listings included offerings of prescription medication that was falsely advertised as being authentic. For example, in November 2023, while operating in an undercover capacity on Incognito Market, a law enforcement agent purchased and received several tablets purported to be oxycodone. Testing revealed that these tablets were not oxycodone and were, in fact, fentanyl pills.
Rising Adoption Of Dark Fiber For Enterprise Networking
They take BTC and Monero, with multi-signature escrow and global shipping—vendors swear by it, and I’ve snagged rare stuff (think DMT or niche scripts) without a hitch. Drugs lead the pack—weed, pills, some synthetics—but digital goods like hacked logins are gaining, tying into Telegram’s side gig boom. For 2025, they’re teasing AI-powered search—could make digging through listings a breeze, which I’m hyped for since their catalog’s already hefty. The site’s unique—loads fast, looks sharp, and vendors get treated right, keeping turnover low. I’ve used it; shipping’s discreet—plain packages or DeadDrops—and uptime’s been flawless, rivaling Abacus. It’s not as community-driven as Bohemia, but the polish makes up for it—feels like a pro operation, not a fly-by-night deal.
Topics And Products Sold
- These digital currencies provide a degree of anonymity, as transactions are recorded on a public ledger but do not directly link users to their real-world identities.
- This region is a significant industrial and manufacturing hub, with strong demand for advanced telecommunications infrastructure.
- And while the United States has limited public data on nitazene-related deaths, the DEA reported in January 2024 that its forensic lab had received 4,300 reports about these opioids since 2019.
- The strategies used by law enforcement to dismantle these marketplaces involve a mix of advanced technologies and old-fashioned detective work.
- We found that many of the sites we had previously identified – including TG Chemicals – continued to operate under the same names and usernames.
The number of days before funds are available varies depending on the bank or credit union. The sellers do offer a specific list of bank institutions that are available for this type of check fraud scheme. They can also take advantage of security glitches, like the one an American bank suffered from that allowed withdrawing money immediately after depositing fake checks into their accounts.
The current size of the dark skin cosmetic market is estimated to be $XX billion. Hair care products tailored for dark skin individuals focus on treatments and styling solutions that address specific needs such as hydration and managing texture. Lastly, the ‘Others’ category captures additional products that may not fit neatly into the other segments but still play a role in the beauty regimen for dark skin. This comprehensive segmentation allows for targeted development and marketing strategies that meet the unique demands of this demographic in the Mexican market. The only one that responded was behind a dark website called MethCrystals, which sold different drugs and claimed to ship from California. The lab coordinator interviewed in Culiacán said this proliferation is part of a strategy to avoid drawing attention in Sinaloa.
The Connected Black Market: How The Dark Web Has Empowered LatAm Organized Crime
Abacus Market stands out with 35,000+ listings and $5 million in monthly cryptocurrency trades via Bitcoin (BTC) and Monero (XMR). Serving 15,000+ users and 1,200+ vendors, it holds an 8% share of darknet drug trading. Known for its robust escrow security and diverse offerings, Abacus is a top choice for 2025. Dark web markets have exploded in scale and reach in 2025, becoming the most dangerous hubs for trading drugs, stolen data, and hacking tools. These anonymous marketplaces—operating mainly on the Tor network—are now a primary threat vector for businesses and cybersecurity professionals. Its reputation for exclusivity and sophisticated encryption has intrigued security professionals worldwide.
In North America, Mexico benefits from trade agreements like USMCA, boosting cross-border commerce and attracting foreign investment. Furthermore, the country’s proximity to the U.S. strengthens supply chains, fostering bilateral economic growth. Mexico’s natural resources and growing consumer base contribute to a dynamic market environment, enhancing regional trade flows and solidifying its economic significance within North America. Detailed stats on listings, trade volumes, and vendor counts across the top darknet markets.
