150 Dark web vendors arrested for selling and buying illicit goods

Summary

The operation (Operation Dark HunTor) conducted by law enforcement across the word were able to arrest 150 suspects involve in illegal sale of drugs and other illicit goods and services. Dark Market is considered the largest black market on darkweb. This was taken down by law enforcement from Germany, Australia, Denmark, Moldova, Ukraine, the United Kingdom (the National Crime Agency), and the USA (DEA, FBI, and IRS) with the support of the Europol in January.

“Operation Dark HunTor resulted in the seizure of over $31.6 million in both cash and virtual currencies; approximately 234 kilograms (kg) of drugs worldwide including 152.1 kg of amphetamine, 21.6 kg of cocaine, 26.9 kg of opioids, 32.5 kg of MDMA, in addition to more than 200,000 ecstasy, fentanyl, oxycodone, hydrocodone, and methamphetamine pills, and counterfeit medicine; and 45 firearms. Darknet vendor accounts were also identified and attributed to real individuals selling illicit goods on active marketplaces, as well as inactive Darknet marketplaces such as Dream, WallStreet, White House, DeepSea, and Dark Market.” Stated in the published article from US Department of Justice

The arrest includes the following and investigations are ongoing,

65 in the United States,
1 in Bulgaria
3 in France
47 in Germany
4 in Netherlands
24 in the United Kingdom
4 in Italy
2 in Switzerland

“The point of operations such as the one today is to put criminals operating on the dark web on notice: the law enforcement community has the means and global partnerships to unmask them and hold them accountable for their illegal activities, even in areas of the dark web.” Said Europol’s Deputy Executive Director of Operations, Jean-Philippe Lecouffe

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