DarkOwl analysts have discovered the emergence of new marketplaces on the dark web, posing as dedicated online portals for notorious criminal cartels from Mexico.
These markets offer drugs and hitman services.
According to security researchers, some identified markets include a mix of new and older markets that have become more important due to changes in market conditions.
These markets include Cartel de Sinaloa (C.D.S Market), Cartel Gulf Texas, Los Urabenos, Cartel Jalisco Nuevo Generation (CJNG), and Ausline.
There is a possibility that markets could be used to increase their “authenticity,” while at the same time deceiving people and stealing their money for orders that are never delivered.
Websites offering drug and hitman services on the dark web could also be the work of law enforcement agencies, which use them as part of honeypot operations to catch interested buyers.
Some of the sites that are now gaining traction have been around for two years and are now gaining popularity and activity as a result of the closure of large, decentralized drug-focused markets, where these alleged cartel site operators claimed to be successful sellers.
The sources for this piece include an article in BleepingComputer.