Social media sites like Instagram are making life easier for drug dealers wanting to reach younger clients.
A 17-year-old former addict explained the process: “Post a picture of it and tell them the price.” He added that social media use meant easier access to drugs: “I’ll say that it’s way easier now than it was before.”
It really is that simple. Local Jacksonville, Florida, news station News4Jax searched Instagram for popular local tags, including #BluntGang, #DuvalDank, #DabbinDuval, #DuvalDanknugs and #JaxWeed. They found several instances of potential drug buys, including this conversation:
Teen: “I’m in the Duval area, can you spot me a couple nugs…?”
Instagram user: “Which side you live on homie”
Teen: “Wes side doe”
“It’s definitely something we monitor on a regular basis,” said Officer Melissa Bujeda of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. “You have to be the parent, you have to be monitoring the phone, you have to be in charge,” she said.