Modification of drug crimes in cyberspace as a threat to the nation’s spiritual health

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to identify the main problems of drug cybercrime, as well as to justify the detrimental impact of the contactless distribution of narcotic drugs on the spiritual health of the nation. The illegal sale of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances is one of the topical issues of modern society. The methodological basis of this study was comparative legal, formal logical, and statistical methods, as well as methods of logical deduction and induction. Today, cyberspace is increasingly being used for the trafficking of synthetic drugs. The problem of drug cybercrime is one of the main components of the public and information security of the Russian Federation. The use of cyberspace and cryptocurrencies for illicit drug trafficking poses serious challenges for criminal justice professionals, especially for law enforcement agencies. The analysis indicates the objective need for further elaboration of proposals in the disclosure of crimes related to drug trafficking committed remotely. It is argued that it is the anonymity of users of shady sites of the Global Network that complicates the work of law enforcement agencies to counter the «virtual drug business». A comprehensive analysis of the identified trends in the modification of drug crime using information technologies of the Internet was carried out. Certain problems of an organizational and legal nature when investigating drug crimes in a virtual environment are highlighted, and possible options for their solution are presented.