The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), through its Global Firearms Programme, successfully organized and delivered a specialized training course on investigating firearms trafficking on the dark web in Jamaica from March 17 to 21 2025. The training, conducted under Project SALIENT, brought together 22 officers (7 women) from key national institutions, including the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), Jamaica Customs Agency (JCA), Major Organized Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA), and the Financial Investigations Division (FID).
As the dark web continues to be a significant platform for illicit firearms trafficking, UNODC’s initiative aimed to enhance the investigative capacities of Jamaican authorities in tackling these complex cases. The training covered a wide range of critical topics, equipping participants with the skills needed to navigate and investigate criminal activities in the hidden layers of the internet.
The agenda featured sessions on understanding the differences between the surface web, deep web, and dark web, and how criminals exploit these platforms for illegal activities. Participants received practical guidance on using tools such as Tor and VPNs while maintaining operational security (OpSec) to prevent digital footprint exposure. Hands-on training was provided in specialized software used for tracking and monitoring illegal activities related to firearms trafficking.
Participants learned how to navigate the dark web securely, locate illegal marketplaces, and analyze their structures to understand how illicit firearms transactions take place. They gained hands-on experience in identifying key platforms where firearms, parts, and ammunition are traded, as well as in recognizing the tactics used by traffickers to conceal their activities. Through practical exercises, they explored vendor profiles, monitored communication channels, and assessed transaction patterns to gather intelligence on illicit networks. The training also emphasized safe interaction techniques, ensuring that investigators could operate covertly while minimizing risks of exposure and digital tracing.
The sessions also focused on developing effective plans for identifying key leads, gathering evidence, and profiling traffickers and networks. Investigators explored how cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin and Monero, are used in illicit transactions and examined key differences from traditional financial systems. Blockchain analysis techniques were covered, including training on blockchain explorers, tracing illicit transactions, and following the flow of funds to identify wallet addresses linked to criminal activities. Additionally, participants learned techniques for identifying, seizing, and investigating digital assets, as well as the legal considerations involved in cryptocurrency seizures and cooperation with financial institutions and cryptocurrency exchanges. The training also addressed the role of encryption in criminal activities and how law enforcement can utilize decryption techniques, including PGP, in investigations.
The training was highly interactive, incorporating practical exercises such as “Hands-On Bitcoin,” where participants created wallets and conducted transactions on the testnet to gain firsthand experience in cryptocurrency investigations.
The successful completion of this training marks a significant step in strengthening Jamaica’s ability to combat firearms trafficking facilitated through the dark web. By enhancing the technical and investigative skills of law enforcement and regulatory authorities, UNODC continues to support Jamaica in its efforts to disrupt illicit firearms networks and improve national security.
UNODC, Firearm Trafficking Section remains committed to fostering regional cooperation and capacity-building to address the evolving challenges of organized crime, ensuring a coordinated and effective response to firearms trafficking across the Caribbean and beyond.
