Dark Web Human Trafficking A Disturbing Reality

Introduction

The dark web, with its estimated 2.5 million daily visitors, has become a haven for criminal organisations and terror groups to carry out illicit activities. Amongst these crimes, human trafficking stands out as one of the most heinous and profitable. This article delves into the dark underbelly of the dark web, exploring the shocking world of human trafficking facilitated by this hidden corner of the Internet.

The Dark Web: A Sanctuary for Criminal Organisations

Criminal organisations and terror groups find solace in the anonymity and secrecy offered by the dark web. It serves as a platform for communication, advertisement, and the buying and selling of anything, including human beings. With its vast network and encrypted channels, the dark web provides the perfect sanctuary for these nefarious activities to thrive.

Benjamin Faulkner: A Dark Web Child Pornography Website Owner

One horrifying example of the dark web’s involvement in human exploitation is the case of Benjamin Faulkner, a Canadian who operated a child pornography website called “Child’s Play.” This dark web platform boasted over 1 million profiles and showcased the brutalisation and sexual abuse of children by over 100 producers of pornography. Faulkner and his associate Patrick Falte were eventually apprehended by the United States Department of Homeland Security, carrying with them a collection of 47,000 images and 2,900 videos of child pornography. Both individuals were sentenced to life imprisonment for their heinous crimes.

Operation Artemis: Uncovering the Dark Web’s Secrets

In the aftermath of Benjamin Faulkner’s arrest, the Australian Queensland Police Service’s Task Force Argos took over “Child’s Play” and operated it clandestinely as part of “Operation Artemis.” Undercover police officers Jon Rouse and Paul Griffiths impersonated the website’s founders for 11 months, engaging with paedophiles and sharing material online in an effort to catch perpetrators. This joint investigation involving Australian, American, and European authorities led to the identification of 90% of the users and the arrest of 1,000 individuals involved in child exploitation. While this operation was seen as a success in terms of catching criminals, human rights organisations such as Amnesty International condemned the actions as a violation of human rights law.

The Black Death Group: Dark Web Trafficking Ring

Interpol has been monitoring the activities of the Black Death Group, a notorious trafficking ring based in Eastern Europe, operating on the dark web. This criminal organisation is involved in selling sex slaves to Saudi Arabia and conducting dark web virgin auctions of girls as young as 15. Their disturbing advertisements provide detailed information about the girls, including their age, hair colour, and measurements. The group even offers services to transport victims globally and is willing to kidnap specific targets for a price. In 2017, the group gained international attention when they abducted British model Chloe Ayling in Milan. The subsequent investigation led to the arrest and conviction of Lukasz Herba, a Polish national involved in the abduction.

The Dark Web: A Haven for Child Pornography

The dark web has become a sanctuary for merchants of child pornography, with numerous websites dedicated to this heinous crime. Sites such as Hard Candy, Jailbait, Lolita City, PedoEmpire, Love Zone, The Family Album, and Kindergarten Porn provide platforms for paedophiles to connect, share fantasies, and exchange tactics for targeting and engaging in sexual acts with children. The volume of these activities is staggering, with some sites boasting over 100,000 registered paedophile members. Law enforcement sources reveal that a significant percentage of paedophiles possess sexual abuse images of children as young as three years old. The dark web provides experienced paedophiles with a means to evade law enforcement, offering discussions on encryption and anonymity techniques to avoid detection online.

The Global Scourge of Human Trafficking

Human trafficking is a global problem, with the dark web playing a significant role in facilitating this heinous crime. Traffickers find it easy and inexpensive to buy, move, and exploit vulnerable individuals, particularly girls and children. The low risk of detection and prosecution associated with technology-facilitated human trafficking makes it an attractive illegal activity. Unlike other illicit trades, such as drug trafficking, traffickers can subject their victims to daily abuse and repeated sale, generating significant profits. The International Labour Organisation estimates that two-thirds of the profits from forced labour are generated by forced sexual exploitation, amounting to a staggering $99 billion per year. Shockingly, over 5.5 million children under the age of 18 are forced into labour, with more than one million falling victim to forced sexual exploitation.

The Deep Web: A Hiding Place for Exploiters

The deep web, an extension of the dark web, provides an even deeper veil of anonymity for human traffickers and pornographers. Authorities estimate that 50,000 people in the United States alone access the deep web for trading child pornography. Tracking down these criminals proves challenging due to the hidden nature of the deep web and the encryption techniques employed. The deep web serves as a troubling reflexion of the real world, exposing the unfortunate reality of human exploitation. The solution to this pervasive issue lies in the real world, as we all bear the responsibility to combat and end human exploitation.

Conclusion

The dark web’s role in facilitating human trafficking is a disturbing reality that must not be ignored. Criminal organisations and terror groups exploit the anonymity and secrecy of the dark web to carry out their heinous activities. The exploitation of vulnerable individuals, particularly children and girls, is a lucrative business that generates billions of dollars each year. It is crucial for governments, law enforcement agencies, and society as a whole to come together to combat human trafficking and protect those most at risk. Only through collective action can we hope to eradicate this dark stain on humanity.