Drop-off drug distribution: why users choose to source illegal drugs from delivery dealers

ABSTRACT

While drug dealing organized as drop-off delivery services is not a new phenomenon, research indicates that it is on the rise. The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction recently described how the European cocaine market is undergoing a process of ‘[u]bernisation’, where more sellers promote additional services beyond the product itself, such as ‘fast delivery anywhere at any time’. Based on the assumption that developments in retail-level drug distribution are fuelled by supply-side as well as demand-side processes, this paper reports key findings from a qualitative study in Denmark exploring user motivations for purchasing drugs from drop-off delivery dealers.

KEYWORDS:

• Drug distribution
• dealing
• delivery services
• drop-off
• buyer perspectives
• drug purchasing

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by the Centre for Alcohol and Drug Research, Aarhus University.