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A Centereach woman ran a thriving drug business on the dark web under the title “MamaKnowsBrown” from her garage.
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She sold fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin to clients across 40 states, distributing narcotics worth over $75,000.
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She used UPS, USPS, and Uber for deliveries, alongside handwritten overdose warning cards in every delivery.
Imagine an illegal drug marketplace that works like Amazon. Customer reviews, shipping options, even a tip jar. That’s exactly what Carolyn Tolin (the culprit in this news) built, with all operations from her garage.
Carolyn Tolin, 46, pleaded guilty Thursday to managing a sophisticated dark web drug business. For months, she distributed heroin, fentanyl, crack, as well as cocaine using the online ID “MamaKnowsBrown.” Her clients spanned the entire United States.
A Full-Scale Drug Business Hidden in Plain Sight
Tolin didn’t just sell drugs. She built an entire business infrastructure around it. Her dark web vendor page functioned like a legitimate e-commerce site. Customers could browse product listings and select their preferred shipping methods. They could review the quality of their deals. This professionalization of the illicit drug trade mirrors a global shift recently highlighted by the UNODC, which warned that traffickers are increasingly adopting dark web and E-Commerce tricks in a global shift.
Tolin’s venture ran from September 2024 through March 2025. Prosecutors say during that window, she moved narcotics worth more than $75,000. The scale of her operation is “astounding,” Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney describes.
When law enforcement invaded Tolin’s Centereach habitat on March 14, heaps of pre-packaged substances lined the garage. Shipping supplies, heat sealers, scales, and envelopes were organized for efficiency. Computer equipment tied directly to her dark web account sat ready for the next order.
An Unusual Delivery Network and Overdose Cards
Tolin’s logistics setup was surprisingly creative. For cross-country shipments, she relied on standard carriers like USPS and UPS. Nothing unusual there—these services handle millions of packages daily without knowing what’s inside.
But for local Suffolk County customers who wanted same-day service? She used Uber drivers. Yes, regular rideshare drivers unknowingly became drug couriers, delivering packages to customers who paid extra for speed.
All payments came through cryptocurrency, which Tolin then converted to cash. This payment method is standard practice on dark web marketplaces as its layer of anonymity is matchless.
Alongside, each drug package included a handwritten overdose warning card—penned by Tolin herself. These cards urged customers to keep Narcan nearby and not to use it alone. She warned that her batches were highly potent and ideal only for “experienced” users.”
She was acknowledging the deadly danger of her products while continuing to sell them. The cards served as both a liability shield and a twisted form of customer care.
This detail reveals something darker about the modern drug trade. Dealers are aware that their products can kill. They know fentanyl’s potency makes overdoses frighteningly common. Yet the business continues.
The Key Distributor to Face Serious Time
Tolin wasn’t working alone. She represented a major distributor within a much larger network. According to Prosecutors, a sweeping 21-defendant, 109-count indictment in March uncovered a wide-reaching network of narcotics.
According to authorities, Tolin shipped more than 1,000 drug packages to customers in 40 states through her “MamaKnowsBrown” storefront. Her dark web shop even featured “tip jar” add-ons—basically allowing satisfied customers to leave extra money beyond the purchase price.
The professionalization of dark web drug markets continues to evolve. What once required technical expertise and underground connections now operates with the convenience of mainstream e-commerce. Customer service, branding, and user experience have become part of the illegal drug trade.
Since the raid in March, Tolin has been held in police custody, pleading guilty to “first-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance,” a Class A-1 felony. She also admitted to attempting to operate as a major trafficker, a Class B felony.
The consequences are severe. The dark web anonymity and protection failed for Tolin. Law enforcement fished out her digital footprint, pinpointed her operation, and clamped it down. “MamaKnowsBrown” is permanently closed, and she’ll spend up to 15 years behind bars for such a venture.
