I work as a detective for a small town police department. I will not disclose where, except that I work in the US.
While I do not handle drug cases exclusively, I have worked on a few drug cases and have put away a few low-level dealers. I personally have not encountered any case involving the dark net yet, but I know that the interagency task force I'm on is always on the lookout for possible intelligence from the DEA, USPIS, informants we work with, etc. If we get a good lead, we'll start working on it. And we know about some of the techniques you guys use to hide your activity from us.
Heroin, painkillers, and fentanyl have been devastating to my community. Hence, I support the war on drugs, though with a caveat. While I'm sympathetic to addicts who possess and deal small quantities because of how drugs have rewired their brains, I will spare no quarter dealing with people who push fentanyl by the kilo for the sake of money alone. Get that shit out of my town.
I also support the war because federal grants fund a pretty decent piece of the department I work for - and that enables us to hire more officers to keep drugs off our streets.
That said, I use discretion. If I catch someone with an ounce of weed and find that they have no record, I usually confiscate the weed and let them go. However if they give me shit, lie to me, or give me a hard time, I'll arrest them and book them for possession. For people I find dealing large quantities, I usually give them the book.
Sometimes I don't get why people need mind-altering substances for recreation. You guys are just wasting your money. Unless you need the drug to treat a specific condition, I don't see the point. But that's just me. Anti-drug laws were created for a purpose - some drugs are dangerous, that is why these laws were created in the first place - to protect people like you.
As for my thoughts on the dark net, I've browsed some sites out of curiosity. Personally, I think it has increased the number of drug users out there because it increases the accessibility of drugs (remember, not everyone wants to meet Joe Dealer in a rundown part of town after sunset for their fix).
I'll continue to enforce the law because that's my job. Don't blame me for arresting you or confiscating your drug mail. If you are going to break the law, you will run the risk that you might get caught.
"I also support the war because federal grants fund a pretty decent piece of the department I work for - and that enables us to hire more officers to keep drugs off our streets. "
BINGO. Stop pretending it's about morality. You sound like a tool. You cannot enforce morality with the law, prohibition has failed.
"remember, not everyone wants to meet Joe Dealer in a rundown part of town after sunset for their fix"
AGAIN, BINGO. The dark net allows people to buy their drugs without putting their safety in danger, (EXCEPT from law enforcement).