Building them up, breaking them down: Topology, vendor selection patterns, and a digital drug market’s robustness to disruption

Abstract

Drug distributors are increasingly turning to online markets to deliver and procure illegal drugs. Online venues allow drug vendors to span broad audiences, reshape organizational structure, and remain relatively anonymous. Such trends raise fundamental questions regarding the structural robustness, topological characteristics, and tie formation patterns in online drug distribution networks. We examine one online illegal opioid transaction network. We characterize the network’s topology, evaluate selection dynamics that sustain and facilitate the growth of the drug market, and investigate network vulnerability. Results support the existence of trust-based preferential attachment and give insight to how the network reacts to disruption.