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IKBFU's Vestnik. Series: Humanities and social science

2026 Issue №1

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Gudchenkov O.S.

Illegal trafficking in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances in the context of digitalization: a systemic challenge to Russia's national security

DOI
10.5922/vestnikhum-2026-1-3
Pages
34-44
drug trafficking antidrug policy national security darknet digitali­zation crime

Abstract

The article analyzes threats to Russia’s national security arising from the development of illicit drug trafficking through the use of digital technologies. The objectives of the study in­clude a comprehensive analysis of contemporary threats to the national security of the Rus­sian Federation caused by the transformation of illicit drug trafficking under the influence of digitalization processes, as well as an assessment of the effectiveness of existing means and methods of countering this type of crime. The methodological framework of the study is based on a systemic approach, which makes it possible to consider this phenomenon as a multilevel threat, as well as methods of analysis, synthesis, and comparative legal analysis. As a result, the study identifies key systemic challenges, such as the extremely high level of automation, anonymity, and latency of illicit drug trafficking, which significantly complicate the work of law enforcement agencies. In addition, the study emphasizes the high profitability of illicit drug trafficking, which ensures its sustainability and further development. The author con­cludes that the influence of cryptocurrencies on illicit drug trafficking has undergone a sys­temic transformation, given that this type of digital currency should be regarded not merely as a means of payment, but as a genuine tool for enhancing the capacity and operational resil­ience of drug-related crime. The study assesses the key risk of the promotion of illicit drug trafficking in the digital environment, interpreting it as a direct threat to the national securi­ty of the Russian Federation due to the targeted involvement of young people in drug traffick­ing. The main conclusion of the study is that neutralizing these threats primarily requires a systemic rethinking of the foundations of the anti-drug policy of the Russian Federation, in which combating root causes, rather than consequences, becomes the priority.