[bsullivan01]

Stupid question and a stupid argument. Buying /selling drugs is illegal, so is buying /selling fake docs etc so why would anyone expect FBI to let such a service operate? Especially when sales numbers reach $1+ Billion and when the owner gives Forbes interviews saying FBI can't catch him?

Let's get back to basics: FBI is supposed to enforce the laws. They do have some leeway in prioritizing, but a $1.2 Billion market is way too big not to attract enforcement.

Now about the war on drugs...

[ralish]

I think you've possibly misinterpreted the argument the author is making. My interpretation wasn't that he was being critical of the FBI for shutting it down; of course they had to shut it down. Rather, the criticism is of the laws and policies that are in place which dictate that the FBI had to shut it down in the first place.

As the article notes, law enforcement has been given a "hopeless task", where if you subscribe to the view that Silk Road actually made buying and selling drugs safer (as I do), shutting it down has made the whole business less safe at direct risks to citizens of many countries. As you note, the FBI had to do this, but it's a huge indictment of our drug policy that this is the action they are compelled to take given the result.

Which brings us back to the war on drugs...

[bsullivan01]

Silk Road actually made buying and selling drugs safer (as I do), shutting it down has made the whole business less safe at direct risks to citizens of many countries

I got his point correctly, that's why I said it isn't up to the FBI to choose a safer way for people to buy/sell drugs. That it's not their mission. Congress of course can change the laws

[epi8]

I think you, GP, and the author are in violent agreement. All three of you, in my understanding, have made the same point.

[ryanSrich]

Because shutting down a service where the majority of exchange is conducted with an adequate amount of peace only forces such exchange into streets where volence is often unavoidable.

[bsullivan01]

Fine, FBI should let me smuggle all the Colombian cocaine through NJ/NY ports so the violence along the Mexico border is eliminated.

[ryanSrich]

If it reduced the net amount of violence? absolutely. Look, People are going to do drugs. Why not provide a peaceful community that harbors responsible consumption instead of adopting a puritanical view that only attempts to make matters worse?

[dllthomas]

Yes, they should, though not you uniquely...

[nazgulnarsil]

If it leads to a net increase in QALYs yes.

[john_b]

I wonder what the size of the combined Colorado+Washington marijuana marketplace is. Maybe not $1.2 billion, but I'd bet it's pretty sizable, and the DoJ decided not to enforce federal law there.

The main difference in my eyes is that the DoJ is ultimately not worried about Colorado or Washington doing something "crazy" and legalizing all drugs, because they're part of the U.S. and ultimately dependent on the federal government. Silk Road was independent and sizable, and thus a threat.