Police Shut Down Suspected Dealer Profiles Before Carnival

Nordjyllands Police reported a successful operation to curb drug dealing during Aalborg's carnival by shutting down numerous Snapchat profiles. Police inspector Claus Danø stated that the swift and effective closure of these accounts severely hampered dealers' sales channels. "Our intelligence showed that the sellers were really pressured – in one fell swoop, we shut down their primary sales channel," Danø said in a press release.

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The profiles were shut down quickly and effectively, and the direct derived effect was that the sellers suddenly had major problems selling their illegal products.

The carnival in Aalborg took place on May 23rd, coinciding with the Jelling Music Festival, where police employed a similar strategy. In Aalborg, between 50 and 60 Snapchat profiles were deactivated, while 39 were shut down in connection with the Jelling festival. Police commissioner Mich Klausen noted that the simultaneous disappearance of so many suspected sales channels demonstrably impacted the drug scene and potential buyers.

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Our intelligence showed that the sellers were really pressured – in one fell swoop, we shut down their primary sales channel.

Snapchat and other social media platforms have become common communication tools for drug buyers and sellers, a phenomenon Snapchat has faced criticism for not adequately addressing. The organization Digitalt Ansvar has repeatedly criticized Snapchat for failing to close profiles that openly offer drugs. In response to past criticism, Snapchat stated that its security teams work around the clock using proactive tools and keyword blocking to combat drug-related content.

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It is our clear opinion that it has had an effect in the environment and among potential buyers that so many of the suspected sales channels disappeared at the same time.

The positive results from the Aalborg carnival operation have encouraged Nordjyllands Police. "Our new experiences from the carnival in shutting down these profiles are so good that it is unlikely to be the last time we use this tool or involve other IT-based components in a police operation targeting narcotics and other illegal substances," Claus Danø added. This suggests a growing reliance on digital strategies in law enforcement's fight against drug trafficking.

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We constantly develop and use proactive tools to find and deactivate dealer accounts. Our security teams work around the clock to respond quickly to reports, and in addition, we block a large number of keywords related to narcotics in several languages.