Silk Road Goes Global: An Interactive Map of the Online Drug Market

Once known as a modern trade route from Asia to Africa and Europe, the name "Silk Road" has been redefined in modern times for its association with a popular online black market that sells drugs and other contraband

For two-and-a-half years starting in January 2011, Silk Road operated in a shadowy corner of the deep web. The site was thrust into the spotlight last October, when the FBI broke up what it called the "most sophisticated and extensive criminal marketplace on the Internet." Silk Road reportedly facilitated $1.2 billion worth of transactions