When encryption fails
A glimpse behind the curtain of synthetic drug trafficking networks
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12887161 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Melvin Soudijn (0009-0008-8373-6270, Politieacademie, corresponding author), Irma J Vermeulen (Politieacademie), Wouter P E van der Leest |
| Year | 2022 |
| Volume | 23 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 216-239 |
| Publication date | 2022-04-03 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Global Crime (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1744-0572 • E-ISSN: 1744-0580 |
| Publisher | Taylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/17440572.2022.2086125 |
| OpenAlex | W4281616596 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 9 |
| References cited | 49 |
The confiscation of the server of an encrypted telephone provider resulted in the retrieval of millions of text messages about covert activities that were overtly discussed between criminals. It provided a unique window into serious organised crime and the people involved. In this article, a social network analysis was carried out on accounts who communicated about synthetic drug trafficking. The sheer number of accounts (N = 4, 158) and messages threads (12, 085) allows for a meso level analysis of the structural characteristics of the networks involved. Three findings stand out. Firstly, the majority (58%) of the accounts active in the synthetic drug market is involved in poly-drug trafficking. Secondly, three-quarters of all accounts are interconnected in a giant component, resulting in a criminal small-world effect. Thirdly, the network appears to be robust. As a consequence, the removal of central accounts will hardly have any impact on the network as a whole
Business · Computer security · Confiscation · Covert · Criminology · Drug trafficking · Encryption · Internet privacy · Organised crime · Political science · Window of opportunity · Computer Science · Crime, Illicit Activities, and Governance · Cybercrime and Law Enforcement Studies · HIV, Drug Use, Sexual Risk · Law · Psychology
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| Unique citing works | 9 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 4,5 |
| Citation span | 2024 - 2026 (3) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 9 |