Opioid trafficking on the so-called “dark web” has long been a source of illicit drugs fueling the opioid epidemic. But a recent raid by the Justice Department has hopefully put a dent in such operations. In a global crackdown, law enforcement officials arrested 179 people in the U.S. and Europe, and seized more than $6.5 million in cash and 500 kilograms of drugs—including heroin and other opioids, cocaine and the powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl, which has caused a spike in overdose fatalities in the United States. The dark web is part of the Internet within an encrypted network and accessible only through specialized tools, making it difficult to stop the illegal drug trade that has flourished online.
Meanwhile, as Florida begins the sale of marijuana edibles, the state’s Poison Information Center has warned parents about an increase in fake marijuana edibles and candies that have sent many children to the hospital. The center said the number of poisoning cases tripled in 2019, as it is difficult to tell the difference between fake pot products and the real thing—all the more reason for every state to establish strict rules and regulations on the sale of marijuana products if the drug is legalized.