As the nation\u2019s opioid crisis worsens, the authorities are confronting a resurgent, unruly player in the illicit trade of the deadly drugs, one that threatens to be even more formidable than the cartels.<\/p>\n
The internet.<\/p>\n
In a growing number of arrests and overdoses, law enforcement officials say, the drugs are being bought online. Internet sales have allowed powerful synthetic opioids such as fentanyl \u2014 the fastest-growing cause of overdoses nationwide \u2014 to reach living rooms in nearly every region of the country, as they arrive in small packages in the mail.<\/p>\n
The authorities have been frustrated in their efforts to crack down on the trade because these sites generally exist on the so-called dark web, where buyers can visit anonymously using special browsers and make purchases with virtual currencies like Bitcoin.<\/p>\n