Pubdate: Sat, 02 Mar 2002 Source: Edmonton Sun (CN AB) Copyright: 2002, Canoe Limited Partnership. Contact: http://www.fyiedmonton.com/htdocs/edmsun.shtml Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/135 Author: Ajay Bhardwaj DRUG TRAFFICKERS DEAL ON THE NET Cops face a daunting challenge as computer-savvy drug traffickers begin using the Internet to buy and sell stashes. "The Internet is a tool just like anything else, there's no reason why drug traffickers who have lots of money will not use the Internet as a tool of doing business," said Tom Keenan, a University of Calgary computer security expert. According to a report released recently by the United Nations International Narcotics Control Board, drug traffickers worldwide are increasingly taking advantage of encrypted e-mail and other Internet technology to sell their stashes, launder money and trade tips and techniques. Chat rooms are popular for people to discuss recipes for making synthetic drugs or problems encountered in growing marijuana, said Paul Marsh with the RCMP in Ottawa. With 700 million people online at the end of last year and Internet use doubling every month, the task is becoming more challenging, admitted Det. Dave Johnston of the Edmonton Police Service's technological crime unit. "It's just that it's so big and there's so much going on, how do you people-watch on all areas of the Internet?" Johnston said. "That's the biggest difficulty that law enforcement is facing right now, is manpower." And Keenan added drug dealers can arrange deals from just about anywhere. "You can be using it from anywhere, like an Internet cafe or, increasingly, from mobile devices," he said. "So physically, there's no way to trace where you are or it's extremely difficult." It comes down to good police work, Keenan said, if cops are to catch Internet traffickers. "There are literally millions of e-mails every day," said Johnston. "Obviously we can't monitor traffic like that because it's illegal in Canada. We would need warrants to do that ... You've got the Internet, you've got e-mail, you've got news groups, you've got chat rooms. There's just so much of it, how do you watch all of it?" Law enforcement agencies have wanted to make encryption illegal, but police won't always have the right key to decode messages, Keenan said. But Mounties say anyone using the Internet for crime can't expect to get away with it. "The use of technology does not necessarily mean one can avoid detection, however," Marsh said. "Trails, albeit electronic, are even left in cyberspace for the police to follow." - --- MAP posted-by: Beth