If it's Illegal, Just Find it on the Internet!
The Internet is a wonderful resource for varied sources of information, but the lack of restraint is a problem that is increasing as consumers become more Internet savvy. Illegal purchases are widespread on the Internet because of the lack of law enforcement.
Two areas that are a particular problem right now are pharmaceutical drugs and cigarettes. Consumers can find pharmaceutical drugs (illegal without a prescription from the doctor) on the Internet without a prescription. Not to mention the serious danger of pharmaceutical drug abuse, the real problem lies in the fact that the opportunity to buy them exists in the first place.
The recent gauging of the cigarette tax has created a new flow of cheaper tobacco over the Internet. Citizens living in states where the cigarette tax is lower than most states, Virginia and Kentucky in particular, are selling cigarettes in bulk to citizens living in states where the tax is much higher. Cigarettes over the Internet are bad for the retailers in the states where the tax is higher. They are losing money to illegal commerce.
The worst part is the government knows about the problem. "They've thumbed their noses at us," said Gene Gavin, Connecticut's tax commissioner. "And they're right because we don't do anything" (1).
The problem of cheaper cigarettes on the Internet is increasing because of the simplicity of the crime. If someone decides to sell cigarettes over the Internet, all tehy have to do is design a website to take orders (including credit information), buy and send the cigarettes.
Selling pharmaceuticals over the Internet is a simple crime too. A man arrested in Wilmington, NC last year met a doctor in Pennsylvania that was willing to prescribe medication without asking questions. The Wilmington man set up a website www.pillsforyou.com for anyone who wanted Valium, Codine, or Xantax. All they had to do was place an order and illegal pharmaceutical drugs were shipped to their house. This proccess is much easier than finding a drug dealer, and much less risky.
The good news is that the man in Wilmington was arrested and his drug ring is currently being investigated (2). But, those who choose the illegal route are often successful. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms estimates state and federal authorities lose more than $1.5 billion annually in evaded cigarette taxes (1). Law enforcement officials are slowly catching on to this new wave of crime.
Return to Top
|
Page last Updated 11/17/2002
|