This week's crime created an account on Grindr where we pretended to be a young man. In the presentation text, we used the special code language available on the app to signal that you are interested in drugs. It is mainly emojis in the form of a plant, a pill tablet, or various number combinations. The code language is used to circumvent the app's rules that prohibit mentioning or displaying images on drugs.

But in our survey we also find several users who openly write about drugs, for example in the form of profile names like "u sell drugs?". Just minutes after we started our fake account, we are contacted by users via the app's chat feature who immediately asks if we want to buy drugs, or sell. Then we are asked to move to another, encrypted app to determine the venue and complete the deal.

Concern for young people to be affected

This week's crime has met Arvid, 49, who like most people is not interested in drugs but hangs on Grindr to meet other men. He fears that open drug dealing can become a gateway for young people.

- Many at Grindr are very young, down to 14-15 years. They can register on the app to date, but then they end up with all this, says Arvid.

There are also two groups of drug users on the app. One uses drugs such as cannabis, cannabis, ecstasy or other synthetic drugs in conjunction with dating as a way to enhance the sex act. The other group is not interested in any date, but only wants to engage in drug trafficking.

Drug trafficking occurs on several social media sites

According to the police's national operational department, NOA, drugs are found on virtually all social media and dating sites.

“The phenomenon is difficult to control and bewilder because of the scale. Therefore, it is not possible to estimate the extent to which social media is being abused in that way. On dating sites, Viagra is primarily sold, but also traditional drugs and other types of Internet drugs, ”writes Stewe Alm, an analyst and spokesperson on drug issues at NOA in an e-mail.

This week's crime has sought representatives for Grindr but received no response. However, according to their policy, it is forbidden to mention drugs both in words and in emojis.

See the full week's crime program here.

Arvid is really called something else.