Belarus Hosting Multi-Agency Darknet Training Event

As the criminal activity on the darknet becomes less of an exception and more of the norm, law enforcement learns to adapt to the modern age of crime. An example of this is an event at the International Training Center of the Police Academy between May 15 and 19 in Belarus.

There, regional authorities and international experts will learn about “strengthening the capacity of law enforcement bodies of Belarus and other Eastern European countries in the fight against drug trafficking.” But more specifically on “including new psychoactive substances on the “shadow” of cyberspace markets.” The Interior Ministry and state police governance planned the event in February 2016.

The event was structured around the trafficking of new and novel psychoactive compounds—especially those that circulated Eastern European countries. Authorities understand that many of the drugs reach the streets through the internet, “including so-called hidden resources of the electronic network.”

Trainees will become acquainted with the specifics of online drug markets, along with the specifics of how experts counteracted them. The Interior Ministry’s website mentioned​ that participants would also learn methods of dangerous site detection and subsequent action. Blocking the sure, for instance, was a topic mentioned by The Interior Ministry. And, of course, they planned to cover issues with anonymity and encryption: “the ability to hide “dark” on the internet and use cryptocurrency.”

During the course of the event, The Interior Ministry will give tests to law enforcement officers and other participants. Participants will also go through “workshops” where they will test their knowledge and learn new skills. “Participation will improve the quality of countering drug-related crimes on the Internet,” Interior Ministry police Colonel Andrei Saladovnikova said. He also hopes the event will aid with international collaboration.

Saladovnikova explained that law enforcement was in the lead (v. drugs, not other countries) in the fight against drug abuse and addiction but that was no reason to become complacent. He also wanted to further the gap between law enforcement and drug crime:

“Much has been done to effectively combat this phenomenon. Nevertheless, it is important not to lose the achieved position. Instead – increase anti-drug potential to achieve cohesion in countering drug trafficking. And so it is difficult to overestimate the importance of the training.”

The event fits under the 2012 OSCE anti-drug concept “in support of the global effort to combat the world drug problem.” The Acting Deputy Head of the Academy for International Cooperation explained that the event’s primary aim was the scope that law enforcement used to investigate law drug-related crimes. With the growth of internet drug trafficking, police needed to not only become more acquainted with new psychoactive substances, but also the darknet and cryptocurrency.

This is not the first large-scale event where law enforcement gathered to discuss the darknet and online drug trafficking. And, even the so-called “dangers” of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have been discussed by international law enforcement—assuming Europol is considered a law enforcement agency.