Online drugs marketplace busted - 15 arrests
Just another web shop
The Farmers Market site appeared to be a regular online shop complete with order forms, PayPal check-out and customer service, though the wares for sale were all controlled substances. This sophisticated operation began in 2006 and processed drugs worth millions of dollars.
Two year investigation
The store is believed to have been run by a team of 8 men. The authorities have identified Dutch citizen of 42 as the ringleader of the group. Other arrests were made on suspicion of drug crimes.
A U.S. Attorney involved in the two-year investigation leading up to the arrests: "Illegal narcotics trafficking now reaches every corner of our world, including our home computers. But the reach of the law is just as long. [...] We want to make the Internet a safe and secure marketplace by rooting out and prosecuting those persons who seek to illegally pervert and exploit that market."
Impact for suppliers of legal thrills
Azarius may not agree with all the restrictions put on certain products and substances, but we always stay well on the side of the law, because we'd be stupid not to. We do not sell illegal substances of any kind and do not ship to countries where the laws prohibit our products.
Operations such as the Farmers Market continue to put us and other legal online smartshops in a bad light and hurting both suppliers as well as buyers.
Read on:
Foxnews - 15 arrests in international online drug probe.
