Yesterday, a court in Texas sentenced an Iraqi man to 30 years in federal prison for various narcotics in exchange for cryptocurrency on the dark web. According to the press release by the US department of justice, this is believed to be the first reported case of selling fentanyl on the deep web. Alaa Mohammed Allawi was found guilty for distributing approximately 245 kilograms of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, oxycodone, and Xanax.
Allawi had reportedly sold more than 850,000 pills in exchange for various cryptocurrencies. Along with the prison sentence, the judge ordered him forfeit his house, jewelry, and a fine of $28,000.
The narcotics he sold led to the death of a US Marine who overdosed. The release does not mention which cryptocurrencies Allawi used to sell different banned substances. Fentanyl is the most potent synthetic opioid used as a pain medication and anesthesia.
Allawi, in his statement, said that he purchased fentanyl and other pills from well known dark web market place Alpha Bay, which is now shut down. He started selling narcotics in 2015 and accepted seven different cryptocurrencies for payment.
