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119-s-1975119th Congress

Dark Web Interdiction Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Senator Hassan, Margaret Wood [D-NH]

Introduced

Summary

Target illicit dark web drug markets. This bill would create a new federal offense for delivering controlled substances via the dark web and stand up a multiagency FBI task force to detect, disrupt, and dismantle illicit marketplaces.

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  • Families and communities: Targets the online supply chains that move opioids and other controlled substances, aiming to reduce the role of dark web marketplaces in illegal distribution.
  • Law enforcement and prosecutors: Creates a Joint Criminal Opioid and Darknet Enforcement Task Force inside the FBI, led by a Presidentially appointed Director. The task force would include representatives from FBI, DEA, Postal Inspection Service, ICE, ATF, CBP, DoD, FinCEN, and DOJ, provide training and cyberforensic support, require annual reports starting within 1 year, and sunsets after 5 years; funding would come from amounts otherwise available to the Attorney General.
  • Defendants and sentencing: Adds a specific offense for dispensing, delivering, or distributing controlled substances by means of the dark web and for aiding or abetting that conduct. It directs the U.S. Sentencing Commission to apply a 2-level increase to the sentencing guidelines for violations.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Ban and tougher penalties for dark web drug sales

This bill would make it illegal to knowingly deliver, distribute, or dispense controlled substances by means of the dark web, or to aid or abet those acts, except where the Controlled Substances Act allows them. It would define 'dark web' as hidden internet sites not indexed by search engines and reachable only with special anonymizing tools or configurations. The bill would direct the U.S. Sentencing Commission to add a two-level increase to federal sentencing guidelines for convictions that involve this dark web offense. Congress would be asked to review the dark web definition at least once every five years.

New FBI dark web task force

This bill would create a Joint Criminal Opioid and Darknet Enforcement Task Force inside the FBI. A Director would be appointed by the President with Senate advice and consent. The task force would include FBI, DEA, Postal Inspection, ICE, ATF, Homeland Security Investigations, CBP, DoD, FinCEN, and DOJ representatives and could consult State, Tribal, local, or international partners. It would run proactive and reactive investigations, give cyberforensic training and assistance, develop evidence-handling and information-sharing practices, and boost international cooperation. The Director would report to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees within 1 year and then annually. The task force would use amounts otherwise available to the Attorney General and would sunset five years after enactment.

Severability rule for the Act

This bill would include a severability clause. If a court strikes down any part of the Act or its application to a person or situation, the rest of the Act would remain in effect.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Hassan, Margaret Wood [D-NH]

NH • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX]

    TX • R

    Sponsored 6/5/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

View on Congress.gov
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