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Drug Traffickers Increasingly Rely on Encrypted Apps, Diversifying Recruitment tactics: Report
A new report reveals a concerning trend: drug traffickers are increasingly elegant in their use of digital applications like telegram, WhatsApp, and Signal, while simultaneously broadening their recruitment base to include individuals outside conventional profiles.
The French Observatory for Drugs and Drug Addiction (OFDT)’s 2024 annual report, released this week, underscores the “widespread and perfected” use of instant messaging by criminal organizations. This shift comes amid heightened scrutiny of platforms like Telegram, wich announced in September 2024 it would alter its moderation rules to cooperate with French authorities following the arrest of its founder, Pavel Durov. The move led to the removal of numerous drug trafficking accounts, but the OFDT warns the platform continues to be exploited for illicit activities.
“While no encrypted platform can proactively monitor private groups, Telegram’s moderation teams process reports and remove illicit content in order to enforce our terms of use,” which prohibit “the sale of illicit substances,” a platform spokesperson told AFP. However, traffickers are proving adaptable, with “Potato messaging,” an application mirroring Telegram’s functionality, emerging as a frequent choice.
Expanding the Network: Beyond the Usual Suspects
The report highlights a significant diversification in the profiles of those involved in local drug trafficking. Based on interviews with law enforcement, social workers, and consumers, the OFDT notes a growing trend of recruiting individuals who don’t fit the typical mold.
“Young women, non-racialized people, or relatively older individuals – in their forties or fifties, or even retired – with a well-groomed appearance are being hired to transport drugs or make deliveries,” the OFDT explains. This expansion also includes students and young professionals recruited for their digital skills – graphic design, social media management, and communication expertise.
These recruits often operate as “self-employed” individuals or in small teams, leveraging digital applications to cultivate their own customer base. while this diversification is occurring, the OFDT cautions that young men facing economic and social vulnerability still represent the majority of individuals at points of sale.
Rising Precariousness and Shifting Drug Use Patterns
The report also paints a grim picture of worsening conditions for marginalized populations struggling with drug addiction. The OFDT documents a growing “precariousness” among this group – primarily men experiencing homelessness or living in substandard housing – and their increasing distance from vital socio-sanitary resources.
Crack cocaine consumption is intensifying among these vulnerable populations, with the drug often replacing opioids like heroin in their daily routines. Notably, the OFDT observed a shift in the demographics of crack users seeking addiction treatment, with a greater proportion now “more integrated socially and economically, sometimes in couples and with children.”
Furthermore, the report indicates a more systematic use of ketamine alongside GHB/GBL and synthetic cathinones within the context of “chemsex.” Fortunately, the OFDT has, “with few exceptions,” not observed a structured market for fentanyl or other synthetic opioids like oxycodone.
A Threat on Par with Terrorism
The release of this report comes at a time of heightened concern regarding drug trafficking in France. Gérald
