Unlawful Humorous Images or Underworld Stamps

White and brownish rectangular blocks are scattered across the garage floor. The imprint of Bob's Sponge on them might have been confused for baby soap, but only from afar. Downloading a print featuring SpongeBob is something anyone can do, but using this print can lead to serious trouble.

A single gram of such a block can cost the end buyer between 100 to 400 US dollars. Each block weighs several pounds and is heavily guarded by FBI agents. Those of our readers influenced by Hollywood might already guess what this "soap" really is.

Cartel Seals

The resemblance to soap isn't coincidental—the pressing technique is identical. Just like soap, these blocks bear a stamp. The designs are endless—SpongeBob, hawks, stars, symbols, Batman, triple sevens, scorpions, the Apple logo...

Of course, no copyright claims are made by the distributors. It would be naive to think the mafia is capitalizing on Steve Jobs' company—they have plenty of money without it. The infamous Pablo Escobar, the Colombian kingpin, once burned two million dollars to keep warm while hiding from the police in the mountains.

The target audience for these stamps isn't the average user but wholesalers. Each cartel needs to create a seal  (often several dozen variations) to mark their product. Due to frequent seizures, transporting the entire shipment at once is risky, so it's divided among smaller "branches" and sent in parts. The stamps act as a code for wholesalers to identify the quality and origin of the illegal goods.

Tablet Stamps

Question: What’s the most amusing ecstasy pill stamp you’ve ever seen?

Comment: The funniest one might be the letters DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration). The irony hit when I handed the seller the money, and the police stormed in.

From an Ecstasy Enthusiasts' Forum

Stamp production has found its place in club culture. Psychoactive substances sold in clubs often come in the form of homemade tablets, each stamped with a unique identifier. For this, a round seal is used.

The ingredients in these tablets vary widely—from mild to potent substances—and their effects are equally unpredictable. Often, the dealer, lacking proper knowledge, has no clue what’s inside and describes them with phrases like "this one hits hard." To avoid confusion, stamps are used. The stamps are small, usually under a centimeter in diameter.

Designs are diverse: suns, skulls, stars, Yin-Yang, fish, Apple logos, Mitsubishi emblems, Playboy bunnies... However, guessing the contents based on the stamp is impossible, as popular designs are often counterfeited (and creating a stamp of any image is easy). And if the pill doesn’t deliver the expected effect, there’s no one to complain to—it’s an illegal business, after all.

Why Are We Discussing This?

Indeed—our blog focuses on seals and stamps, so why delve into these shady activities? Certainly not to teach you to distinguish a Green Apple from a Mitsubishi (and we strongly advise against dabbling in the underworld). It’s simply that the applications of stamp products are so vast that we’re confident—if dealers use them, why shouldn’t your legitimate business? Fortunately, the law permits us to order prints online. If you’re unsure about a seal’s authenticity, you can request a forensic examination.

Our specialized online designer for seals and stamps allows you to create a design for any print—be it an "Apple," a "Scorpion," or even the "Federal Control Service." The key, as Ostap Bender would say, is to respect the law. With our designer, you can easily create a stamp yourself. You can start from templates or design one from scratch.

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Published on 2024-08-22