The Dark Web Interdiction Act creates new federal tools to combat opioid trafficking on the dark web, making it explicitly illegal to knowingly deliver, distribute, or dispense controlled substances through dark web marketplaces. The bill establishes a new Joint Criminal Opioid and Darknet Enforcement Task Force within the FBI, led by a presidential appointee and staffed by representatives from multiple federal agencies (DEA, FBI, ATF, Homeland Security, and others), tasked with detecting and dismantling illicit online marketplaces that use anonymizing technology to hide their operations. The legislation increases sentencing guidelines by two levels for dark web drug distribution violations and requires the task force to develop investigative best practices, provide training to law enforcement nationwide, and submit annual reports to Congress on its activities and effectiveness. The bill also directs the Attorney General to report within one year on how virtual currencies are used to finance opioid trafficking on the dark web. The task force operates with existing federal funding and automatically expires five years after enactment.
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