An Assessment of the State of Firearm Sales on the Dark Web

Western law enforcement agencies have made multiple arrests targeting individuals purchasing firearms on Dark Web platforms in recent years, as these transactions may violate national laws and facilitate offline violence. Despite its market presence and growth, research exploring these online illicit markets has been scant, especially as it relates to how firearms are priced on the Dark Web, and the factors that influence their price point. Given this gap in the literature, the current study utilized a sample of 287 firearm products across 20 Dark Web vendors operating in both crypto markets and shops to identify the range and pricing model of illicit weapons. Analyses revealed that long guns offered on the Dark Web had lower average listed prices than their manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP), while handguns had higher advertised prices than their recommended retail value. Further, products’ MSRP was a significant predictor of firearms’ price point for both handguns and long guns, whereas offering a customer service line was only significant for handguns’ price point. The implications of this analysis for our understanding of illicit online market operations are discussed in detail.  Read More...