Although the trafficking of illegal drugs over the Internet has only relatively recently come to the attention of academics and the general public, the online transaction of drugs is not new. It is believed that the first transaction involving cannabis took place in the 1970s. However, of more recent date is the emergence of drug transactions on the encrypted darknet. A darknet marketplace, also known as a cryptomarket, can be defined as an "online forum where goods and services are exchanged between parties using digital encryption to conceal their identities."

Until recently, there were no studies on crypto markets focused on Belgian buyers and sellers. We did not have scientific evidence to understand the size, scope, share and motives of the Belgian population purchasing illicit drugs on crypto markets. Therefore, a short-term multidisciplinary project was conducted to gain an initial understanding of crypto markets from a Belgian perspective, targeting both Belgian sellers and buyers. In this way, an evidence base for this phenomenon was provided, allowing for scientifically based (policy) interventions.

You can consult the summary and results here.