Greater Manchester Police (GMP) say organised criminals are increasingly turning to QR codes, encrypted apps and social media to sell drugs.
In student areas, QR codes have begun appearing on lamp posts, in bars and on noticeboards, offering discreet access to drug menus on platforms like Telegram or Snapchat. Scanning the code can take a user directly to a dealer’s profile, price list or encrypted chat.
Detective Superintendent Joe Harrop, head of GMP’s Serious and Organised Crime Unit, confirmed the trend is noticeable, and is “another evolution of drug dealing.”
“We have seen QR codes stuck to lampposts or posted through apartment doors, particularly in student areas.
“It would be quite clear what the advert is, the sale of controlled drugs.
“Someone would scan the QR code, and it would take them to a particular drug marketplace.
“Telegram is a frequent one, could be Snapchat, and it’s just images and advertising in relation to the types of drugs that are available and the prices.”
GMP says these platforms tend to push ‘party drugs’ such as powdered cocaine, ketamine, cannabis and magic mushrooms, rather than hard drugs like heroin or crack cocaine.
“The buyer feels like it’s safer for them because they’re not necessarily having to go out on the street,” Harrop explained.
“People are more likely to buy stuff online now anyway… Perhaps they think the police have less of an oversight of it.”
However, this sense of safety is largely false. Buyers face risks that range from contaminated substances to fraud, malware and revealing their home address to organised criminals.
“If you’re having drugs delivered through the postal system, you are giving your address to criminals,” Harrop warned.
“Doing it through a screen might give you a false sense of security, but it’s not actually safe.”
To keep pace with modern drug distribution, GMP has significantly expanded its tech focused policing. The force is one of only five in the UK to have a dedicated county lines task force, and it has doubled the size of its cyber crime unit since 2022.
Harrop says this puts GMP “in a really good place” to confront online drug markets.
“This year alone, we’ve closed over 100 county lines.
“Since the unit was set up, we’ve closed over 400. A good chunk of those are online marketplace lines.”
Two specialist social media investigators now work within the team, trained to identify online drug markets and monitor encrypted channels.
“They actively look for and monitor drug markets in the online space.
“We’ve had a number of prosecutions specifically targeting sellers who only sell online.”
Alongside this, GMP has introduced a dedicated account freezing order team, capable of identifying the flow of drug money, including cryptocurrency, and freezing assets linked to online supply lines.
“If we can identify a suspicious bank account… we can now freeze and ultimately forfeit those funds.
“Since the team has been set up, we’ve forfeited over £20 million from bank accounts.”
The recent conviction of 19-year-old Ivan Hoque, from Collingwood Way, demonstrates the dangers behind online drug dealing.
Hoque used encrypted chats to sell cannabis, ketamine, edibles and THC vapes to Manchester buyers, hiding behind ‘username based’ accounts and postal deliveries.
When officers executed a warrant at his home, Hoque stood on the landing armed with a machete. A search uncovered drugs, cash, packaging materials and both a machete and a zombie knife.
Harrop said the case “personifies everything” about how online dealing can escalate.*
“It’s an example of drugs being sold online.
“The fact he was armed with a weapon highlights it’s not this safe thing.
“Ultimately, there is that violent criminality at the end of it.”
Hoque pleaded guilty to multiple drug supply offences and possession of offensive weapons. He was sentenced in March 2025 to 24 months in prison.
GMP works closely with student safeguarding teams, treatment services and the Greater Manchester Drug Early Warning System, run by coordinator Mike Linnell. The system monitors new drug trends and rapidly shares alerts across more than 1,000 professionals.
Harrop says these partnerships are essential to preventing harm, especially in student communities.
“We’ve got really strong relationships with the universities in Manchester.
“Representatives from education attend our drug and alcohol operational group.
“We’re not going to arrest our way out of a drug problem. We all need to work together.”
Harrop urges students not to ignore QR codes or profiles advertising drugs.
“I’d want you to tell the police.
“You can do that anonymously via 101 or completely anonymously via Crimestoppers.
“You could also speak to your tutor or safeguarding team at the university.”