Deal or no-deal? Using administrative data to explore buyer motivation in online drug purchases and its association with community risk factors in Scotland

•Data on intercepted drug parcels were used to classify likely online buyer motivation.•Buyer motivation was associated with different types of community level risk factor.•Drugs bought for social dealing were associated with areas of higher deprivation and ill health.•Drugs bought for wholesale dealing were associated with areas of high crime and unemployment.•Our findings could help policing and health agencies improve drug-harm reduction strategies.