OSINT Gone Wild: How I Found Drug Traffickers and NarcoTerrorists Online | Schuyler Davis

Narco-Terrorism and Online Trafficking

OSINT analyst Schuyler Davis explains narco-terrorism—using kidnappings, assassinations, and bombings to deter law enforcement—and links it to U.S. gang activity beyond traditional cartels. Traffickers increasingly use Telegram for encrypted drug sales, menu-style ordering, and anti-screenshot features.

OSINT Toolkit and Tradecraft

Davis uses publicly available sources plus tools like PimEyes facial recognition, FaceCheck, and passive reconnaissance. He stresses sock-puppet accounts after accidentally liking a target page from a personal profile, and documents fentanyl's lethal potency amid a national overdose crisis.

Case Study One: Twitter to Arrest Records

Searching intentional keywords such as "join Telegram pills" surfaced dealers advertising counterfeit pills. One suspect posted self-photos alongside shipment images; FaceCheck matched a 2022 arrest for marijuana and unlawful weapon carry, yet the same account resumed selling drugs and illicit gun-conversion switches years later.

Case Study Two: Organized Network

A shared Telegram invite appeared across multiple Twitter promoters selling guns and drugs. When one hid their face behind cash, another affiliate exposed theirs, enabling identification of gang members—including youth recruited into a pink-themed crew—through arrest articles and Facebook linkage. Davis partners with law enforcement while teaching kindergarten CS.