How Public Turkish-Language Telegram Channels Organize Drug Trade-Facilitating Communication: A Qualitative Content...

Area of Science:

• Digital Criminology
• Online Communication Studies
• Public Health

Background:

• Publicly accessible Turkish-language Telegram channels are increasingly used for communication regarding illicit drug availability and access.
• Understanding the organizational dynamics of these platforms is crucial for public health and safety initiatives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine how Turkish-language Telegram channels organize communication related to illicit drug availability and access in Türkiye.
• To identify patterns in visibility, trust claims, coded language, delivery, location signaling, and related illicit activities within these channels.

Main Methods:

• Inductive qualitative content analysis of 3,204 text messages from 10 public Turkish-language Telegram channels.
• Data collection spanned November 3-9, 2025, using the Telethon API.
• Analysis was conducted using MAXQDA software to identify recurrent communication patterns.

Main Results:

• The public layer is seller-led, advertising drugs, announcing availability, signaling location, and claiming reliability.
• Communication heavily relies on slang, abbreviations, and emoji-based codes, with sellers using advertising tactics to normalize access.
• Trust claims are present alongside warnings about scammers and law enforcement, and drug offers are associated with other illicit services.

Conclusions:

• Public Telegram channels act as a seller-organized layer for managing drug access visibility, trust, and contact pathways.
• These channels create an illusion of searchable and manageable illicit drug access.
• Interaction is redirected to less visible spaces, increasing users' exposure to broader digital risks.