The global economy remains battered by the COVID-19 pandemic, but opportunistic sellers on the dark web are thriving. These clandestine marketplaces now feature COVID-19 testing kits at exorbitant prices.
As the coronavirus spread rapidly, widespread testing became critical. While some governments lagged in response, dark web vendors were quick to capitalize from the epidemic's outset. A Vice News article from September 16, 2020, details the story of an anonymous U.S. seller named Jason, who spotted the opportunity early.
In late January 2020—before the World Health Organization declared a global emergency—Jason began stockpiling COVID-19 testing kits. Leveraging contacts in China, he sourced IgM/IgG serological tests directly from factories in Germany and South Korea.
With cases still under 8,000 across fewer than 20 countries, Jason anticipated surging demand. Initially, he sold thousands of kits to medical centers in the U.S. and Italy for $180 each. Today, those same kits command $11,000 apiece.
As global cases surpassed 32 million, demand for essentials like masks, sanitizers, respirators, and testing kits exploded. This was exacerbated by production slowdowns and disrupted international trade.
Even as the pandemic persists, dark web sellers continue operations. David Maimon, a professor of criminal justice and criminology, notes that government responses inadvertently created opportunities for these vendors. Testing kit shortages linger, with many medical facilities overwhelmed and countries like Zimbabwe reporting total depletion.
Testing kits aren't alone; "fake" vaccines, hydroxychloroquine, and even plasma from recovered patients are booming. Maimon observes that sellers have adeptly diversified, now offering pandemic goods alongside their usual inventory of semi-automatic weapons and drugs like ecstasy.
