DRUG dealers and users are operating in full view of police by using a popular website to openly buy and sell drugs.

Classifieds website Craigslist has been turned into Victoria’s version of Silk Rd for online drug dealing.

Criminals are also getting in on the act, with one seller offering counterfeit bank notes including UK pounds, US dollars, euros, and UAE dirham.

media_camera An example of drugs for sale on website Craigslist

Requests for weapons and protection have also been made. Melbourne’s Craigslist featured more than 150 postings about accessing or selling illegal drugs last month, including cannabis, cocaine, and methamphetamines.

The growing virtual marketplace contains requests hidden in street slang such as “420” and “Mary” for cannabis, “looking for Gina” for GHB, “looking for Lucy” for LSD, and “Keta” for the dangerous horse tranquilliser Ketamine.

Drug requests are usually accompanied with a preferred pick-up location and the price the buyer is willing to pay.

“Trying to find my good friend Gina with no luck if anyone knows where she is let me know ASAP!!” one user wrote.

Some brazen sellers leave mobile numbers for customers to place orders while the more secretive use message service Wickr to exchange messages.

media_camera An example of drugs for sale on website craigslist

The Herald Sun contacted one dealer advertising on Craigslist, called Michael, who said he could supply our reporter with cannabis in just three minutes.

He said a bag of cannabis would cost $300, $200 for a half, and $120 for a quarter.

“I’ve been advertising on Craigslist for about three months, I just sell cannabis, I don’t touch the hard stuff,” he said. “I have a lot of cancer ­patients, stuff like that.

“I also get a lot of backpackers who don’t know the area, but they know Craigslist.”

Cyber-safety campaigner and former Victoria Police officer Susan McLean said police were not doing enough to pursue criminal activity online.

“Craigslist has been around for more than 10 years and it has always had a seedy underbelly,” she said.

“I’m sure police will tell you that they monitor it but they are well behind the eight ball, to be honest. People are openly using this site because they believe they can get away with it.”

Australian Crime Commission executive director Judith Lind said the internet had ­created a global market for ­illicit commodities.

“The availability of illicit substances via online marketplaces, and the relative ease with which they can be purchased, has changed the traditional user-dealer relationship and resulted in a broad supply base,” she said.

Victoria Police spokeswoman Melissa Search said police were aware of dark websites selling illegal items online.

“If offences are detected police will investigate and prosecute accordingly,” she said.

Silk Road was an online black market, best known as a platform for selling illegal drugs before the FBI shut it down in 2013.

andrew.jefferson@news.com.au

@AndyJeffo