QR stickers near schools lead to online drug shop

QR code stickers directing users to a website selling drugs have appeared near schools in Estonia, ERR reports. Police say the stickers could expose minors to drug sales, while identifying those distributing them and shutting down the websites can be difficult and time-consuming.

The website resembles an online shop, displaying products, prices, payment methods and customer reviews. It was created in late 2025, but police have not established who is behind it, said Rain Vosman, head of the Criminal Bureau of the Police and Border Guard Board’s Southern Prefecture.

Police have received many reports about the stickers and are working to take drug-selling websites offline. Vosman said the process cannot be completed in just a few days. Police ask people who find the sites to report them and to remove QR code stickers from poles.

Stickers often reappear after being removed. Police are trying to identify those putting them up. The QR codes change, suggesting there may be several printers or distributors, Vosman said, though one person could be arranging for different codes to be circulated. People placing the stickers may not know what the codes link to and could be paid for carrying out that part of the operation.

Vosman said dealers put the codes near schools because they are interested in reaching minors. He warned that young people may be curious about trying drugs without understanding what they are consuming.

Much of the drug trade has moved to mobile apps, Vosman said, with Telegram groups among the most common channels. Buyers can pay by bank transfer or cryptocurrency and then receive GPS coordinates for collecting a package.

QR codes are also used to recruit people to hide drugs. Recruits may be asked to find hiding places, leave drugs there and send the coordinates to an employer. They are commonly paid five to seven euros per set of coordinates. Vosman said minors involved may not realise they are helping others obtain drugs, but can still be held responsible for illegal handling of narcotic substances.