We talk through his biography, including episodes I thought might be too sensitive to speak about on the phone, from his father’s abuse, to his first wife’s death, to his second wife leaving him with their daughter, to his time in prison. Alone and terrified about the future, she had an abortion that he didn’t learn about until later. In February of this year, about 18 months after his release from prison, I meet Akasha Song in a house just down the street from the one where he was arrested. All of the money from his time as a DMT kingpin was spent or seized, so Akasha has mostly been living with his mom in Texas or in an RV since he got out. But he has received permission from his probation officer to meet me here in Boulder, in his natural habitat, where he’s staying with a wealthy friend and supporter—a fan of DMT with psychedelic paintings and 5-foot-tall crystals positioned throughout the house. It’s just after 7 pm when we sit down together at the kitchen counter, and the sun has set behind the mountains.

Key Geographical Areas For Dark Tourism Growth
Single mode fiber dominates the Brazil dark fiber network market due to its superior long-distance data transmission capabilities. Telecom operators and internet service providers are increasingly deploying single mode fiber for their long-haul and metro networks to support high-speed internet and emerging 5G services. For instance, TIM Brasil has been expanding its fiber optic network using single mode fiber to enhance its broadband and mobile backhaul infrastructure.
Regional Insights
Companies are focusing on developing premium offerings, introducing sugar-free variants, and expanding their dark chocolate products portfolios to meet evolving consumer preferences. Operational agility is demonstrated through investments in manufacturing capabilities, automation of production processes, and the adoption of sustainable practices in cocoa sourcing. Strategic moves include strengthening distribution networks, particularly in online channels, and establishing direct partnerships with cocoa farmers.
They rented a house on the north shore of the lake with a backyard patio surrounded by redwood trees stretching into Tahoe National Forest. This time he brought Coinflip and another friend with him to live and work in the house from the start. They set up DMT production in the garage at more than twice the scale of the lab in Colorado, ultimately expanding to 10 of the same 35-gallon barrels.
Europol Hosts Joint Cybercrime Action Taskforce For The Crackdown

This increases the accessibility and sophistication of cyber threats, with far-reaching consequences for businesses. To secure against these risks, organizations invest in robust cybersecurity strategies, conduct regular security assessments, and educate employees to recognize and mitigate threats. Darknets and dark markets have fueled the growth of cybercrime, provided a marketplace for cyber threats, and expanded the attack surface for malicious actors. This hidden ecosystem challenges cybersecurity professionals, law enforcement agencies, and policymakers to devise innovative strategies to combat these emerging threats, making it a critical facet of the contemporary threat landscape. The rapid industrial automation across various sectors such as manufacturing, oil & gas, power generation, and mining is expected to drive the growth of the global dark factories market over the forecast period. With increasing focus on enhancing productivity and minimizing production costs, the demand for programmable logic controllers, distributed control systems, and other process control instruments has been continually rising from process industries.
Dark Fiber Market Size & Growth
After nearly two months, though, Akasha had gotten no hint that international law enforcement was tracking him. He and Joules flew to the US, took his lab equipment out of storage, and drove with it in a trailer to Colorado. He reopened his Shimshai accounts, then reconnected with his wholesale customer, apologized for ghosting him, and rebuilt his lab in the basement of a house in the town of Morrison. With the help of old friends, he spent the next months making enough DMT to cover the kilos lost in the seizure.
Dark Web Marketplaces: How Illegal Goods Are Bought And Sold
These enforcement strategies have proven effective in disrupting illicit operations, but new marketplaces continue to emerge, requiring continuous cybersecurity assessment and monitoring. One of the primary reasons Dark Web marketplaces thrive is the anonymity provided by Tor and cryptocurrency transactions. Tor encrypts internet traffic through multiple layers, making it difficult to trace users, while cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Monero enable pseudonymous financial exchanges, reducing the risk of detection by authorities. Using trusted directories, PGP encryption, and secure wallets helps protect against fraud.

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The country’s robust chocolate consumption is evidenced by its per capita consumption of 2.2 kg in 2022, positioning Brazil as a significant chocolate market in South America. The market is witnessing a notable shift towards premium and artisanal chocolate offerings, with consumers showing increased willingness to invest in higher-quality products that offer unique flavor profiles and superior ingredients. Established in 2019, Russian Market is a well-known and highly regarded data store on the dark web, specializing in the sale of PII and various forms of stolen data. Despite its name, the marketplace operates primarily in English and serves a global audience. It has gained a reputation for being a reliable source of high-quality data for cybercriminals.
For the department, an upstart DMT dealer was less of a priority than the dark web’s purveyors of cocaine, fentanyl, and heroin. But after that tip, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) created an alert for the name Akasha Song. Four years later, in the fall of 2021, when José mistakenly shipped a kilogram of bark from Brazil to a customer in Brooklyn with Akasha’s phone number on it, the alert was triggered—just as it would be again six months later when José sent the shipment to Akasha’s cousin. Homeland Security, court documents would later show, had first learned the name Shimshai in a tip shared with the agency in 2017.

U.S. and EU law enforcement seized more than $200 million and 144 kilograms of fentanyl or fentanyl-laced narcotics alongside 180 firearms as part of the international effort dubbed Operation RapTor. The action built upon the previous takedowns of dark web marketplaces like Incognito, Nemesis, Tor2Door, Bohemia and Kingdom Markets. Since then, many copycat markets have tried to replace it, but not all of them have lasted.
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Dark markets, on the other hand, are platforms within darknets where illicit transactions occur. These marketplaces facilitate the exchange of everything from stolen credentials and drugs to weapons and hacking tools. The anonymity and encryption provided in dark markets create a haven for cybercriminals and nation-state actors to buy and sell dangerous assets while evading detection. The industrial robotics segment is expected to continue to dominate the dark factories market, holding a share of 45.3% in 2025. Industrial robots help optimize production processes through reduced human errors and increased accuracy. They are capable of performing repetitive, hazardous, and precision tasks more efficiently compared to humans.
It assesses the impact of external factors and global economic changes on market growth. Lastly, it provides strategic recommendations for new entrants and established companies to navigate the complexities of the market. Malaysia’s Dark Skin Cosmetic market is emerging as a regional research hub in Southeast Asia, underpinned by strong government policies, rising tech adoption, and a diverse economic base.
The future of dark tourism looks promising, with global market projections indicating substantial growth in the coming years. The dark tourism market is expected to expand significantly, driven by the growing global interest in culture, history, and immersive travel experiences. As more travelers seek experiences that allow them to reflect on history and engage with the past, dark tourism will continue to flourish.

Dark Skin Cosmetic Market Key Highlights
Fueled by the growing crime as a service economy, the annual cost of cyber crime in all Latin American and Caribbean nations has grown to $90 billion a year, according to a 2016 Inter-American Development Bank cybersecurity report. In contrast, the Asia-Pacific region is projected to experience the highest growth rate, with countries like China, India, and South Korea spearheading expansion through urbanization, digital transformation, and manufacturing scalability. Meanwhile, Latin America and the Middle East & Africa regions are emerging with steady progress. These markets are being energized by infrastructure modernization, demographic shifts, and rising foreign direct investment, making them attractive for long-term opportunities in the Dark Skin Cosmetic market.
Ghost-Tapping And The Chinese Cybercriminal Retail Fraud Ecosystem
- Building a dark fiber network involves substantial investments in laying fiber-optic cables, acquiring rights of way, and setting up necessary equipment.
- Thus, endless benefits for businesses and technology giants through the implementation of this type of optic fiber will expand the market share of key companies during the forecast period.
- As cities across Brazil implement smart technologies to improve urban management and enhance the quality of life for residents, the need for high-capacity, reliable networks becomes increasingly critical.
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- Operation RapTor involves law enforcement actions taken by JCODE member agencies, including the DEA, FBI, FDA OCI, HSI, IRS-CI, and USPIS.
Operation RapTor resulted in the highest number of seizures of any JCODE operation, including more than $200 million in currency and digital assets, over two metric tons of drugs, 144 kilograms of fentanyl or fentanyl-laced narcotics, and over 180 firearms. Key drivers include the increasing demand for high-speed internet, rapid digital transformation, the expansion of 5G networks, and growing adoption of cloud services that require scalable and high-capacity data transmission solutions. Key trends shaping the Dark Skin Cosmetic Market include a marked shift towards inclusivity, innovation in product formulation, and digital-driven consumer engagement. The industry is witnessing an increasing focus on diversity and representation, with brands expanding their shade ranges and launching targeted product lines that cater specifically to darker skin tones.