Source: US FBI
As she investigated the person who ordered that die piece, she learned that FBI Special Agent Kostic was pursuing the same individual, whom the FBI team had identified as a major online drug dealer, selling on both darknet and clearnet sites. Darknet sites require a specialized browser called Tor to view. Clearnet sites are available on any connected device.
Their joint work, and months of investigative efforts by FBI, DEA, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Homeland Security Investigation teams, eventually led to six search warrants being carried out on the same early November morning. Partnerships among agencies are crucial to the success of these complex investigations and were the primary reason the Department of Justice created the Joint Criminal and Opioid Darknet Enforcement (JCODE) Team in 2018.
Altogether, investigators found six pill presses; 10 weapons, including one that had been modified to function as an automatic weapon; bundles of cash; and approximately 450 pounds of illegal drugs, which included tens of thousands of pills, powdered fentanyl, marijuana, mushrooms, heroin, and other substances that still need to be identified.
Many of the pills were the so-called “rainbow pills” that investigators believe are created to market to young people. They are often sold on popular social media platforms.
While searching the location believed to be the primary suspect’s residence, investigators also found packaging materials, heat sealers, and the computers and phones he used to run his active online business. One computer was left open.
“We were able to get a pretty comprehensive buyer list, which included approximately 2,200 unique buyer names for a total of over 4,000 sales,” said FBI Los Angeles Supervisory Special Agent Andrew Innocenti.