This case was investigated as part of an FBI-led interagency Joint Criminal Opioid and Darknet Enforcement (J-CODE) operation. J-CODE brings together experts from the DEA, the Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, as well as the Department of Defense and the Customs and Border Protection, along with the FBI. The Justice Department appreciates the cooperation and significant assistance provided by law enforcement partners in the British Virgin Islands, Germany, Lithuania, and Türkiye. A second administrator of Bohemia/Cannabia was arrested in Ireland in the context of the same operation, which leveraged data from the joint international investigation. Archetyp Market, a site on the dark web that sold illegal drugs, has been shut down after police in Europe arrested its administrator. As DOJ noted, the conspiracy involved laundering darknet proceeds through exchanges and peer-to-peer brokers.
Darknet Market Arrests
While 155 of the arrests took place in the US, authorities seized $53.4 million in cash and digital currencies, 850kg (or 1,873 lbs) of drugs, and 117 firearms worldwide. According to court documents and statements made in court, Srinivasan and Ta used the “redlightlabs” darknet account to advertise and sell counterfeit M30 oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and other illicit drugs. Srinivasan also used the encrypted messaging application Wickr to communicate with and sell drugs to customers.
Domains for Archetyp have since been replaced with a seizure notice, which indicates law enforcement groups across Europe, in addition to the FBI and US Homeland Security, participated in the investigation. The alleged administrator of the marketplace, a 30-year-old German national, was also arrested in Spain. Described by Attorney General Pam Bondi as a historic blow to the digital drug trade, the operation targeted individuals in the United States, Austria, Brazil, France, Germany, the Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. It marks the most significant JCODE operation to date, building on years of enforcement actions and marketplace takedowns, including Kingdom Market, Tor2Door, Bohemia, and Nemesis. The alleged administrators of the infamous Bohemia and Cannabia dark web marketplaces have been arrested after apparently shuttering the sites and trying to flee with their earnings.
Police Seizes Archetyp Market Drug Marketplace, Arrests Admin
In addition to the administrator, so-called “moderators” are also in focus – they organized internal processes on the platform, mediated disputes between buyers and sellers, and checked content. These digital helpers usually operated anonymously and distributed worldwide – but during Operation “Deep Sentinel”, they too were unmasked. In total, law enforcement officers seized 47 smartphones, 45 computers, narcotics, and assets worth €7.8 million from all suspects during Operation Deep Sentinel. Opponents of strict dark web policing sometimes argue that such operations drive criminal activity to even more hidden or encrypted platforms, making detection harder.
Links To Dark Web Markets – Dark Web Market
Srinivasan received virtual currency as payment for the drugs and then routed that virtual currency through cryptocurrency exchanges. “Operation RapTor shows that the dark web is not beyond the reach of law enforcement,” said Head of Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre, Edvardas Šileris. “Through close cooperation and intelligence sharing, officers across three continents identified and arrested suspects, sending a clear message to those who think they can hide in the shadows. Europol will continue working with our partners to make the internet safer for everyone.”
ICE, Europol, Law Enforcement Partners, Dismantle Major Illicit Drug Networks In Global Darknet Crackdown
Law enforcement will likely continue to shift toward data-centric operations and partnerships with crypto-forensics firms to keep pace. Expect another wave of takedowns targeting emerging platforms in the next 12 to 18 months. Operation RapTOR includes law enforcement actions taken by JCODE member agencies, to include ICE HSI; the DEA; FBI; FDA-OCI; IRS-CI; and USPIS; in addition to foreign partners listed below. Credible reporting from the referenced agencies, in addition to contributions from ATF; Army CID; CBP; Department of Treasury’s FinCEN and Office of Foreign Assets Control; and NCIS enabled domestic law enforcement actions in support of Operation RapTOR. Local, state, and other federal agencies also contributed to investigations through task force participation and regional partnerships.
- The seized drugs include 64 kilograms (141 pounds) of fentanyl or fentanyl-laced narcotics; over 258 kilograms (569 pounds) of amphetamines; 43 kilograms (95 pounds) of cocaine; 43 kilogram (95 pounds) of MDMA; and over 10 kilograms (22 pounds) of LSD and ecstasy pills, authorities said.
- Data from dismantled sites like Nemesis, Tor2Door, Bohemia, and Kingdom Markets gave authorities crucial leads, helping them identify and track down darknet vendors and their customers across the globe.
- Known for facilitating the sale of cocaine, MDMA and highly potent synthetic opioids, the platform had more than 600,000 users and processed an estimated €250 million in transactions.
- Launched in 2020, Archetyp was Europe’s longest-serving drug market at the time of its takedown last week, and authorities today confirmed a number of key arrests.
- Since that time, and through its closing in March 2024, Incognito Market sold more than $100 million in narcotics — including hundreds of kilograms of cocaine and methamphetamines.
Alphabay Market Darknet
Anglin has hidden from the public in recent years and has so far failed to pay out the judgment against him. The use of Monero, a privacy-focused cryptocurrency, was a significant obstacle. Unlike Bitcoin, Monero transactions are far more difficult to trace due to their built-in anonymity protocols. However, law enforcement appears to have made breakthroughs in crypto-tracking, either through advanced analytics or infiltration of the platform itself.
Operational security has increased, with mandatory PGP encryption, two-factor authentication, and more frequent use of VPNs and anonymization tools. As described by IRS Criminal Investigation Chief Guy Ficco, investigators “cracked the code of so-called ‘safe spaces’” by targeting these friction points. Avalyan is charged with one count of distribution of cocaine, one count of distribution of MDMA, and one count of distribution of distribution of methamphetamine.
Incognito Market
The operation came after a similar law enforcement investigation last year led to the takedown of Wall Street Market, a major dark web hub. This comes just months after international law enforcement raided the homes of individuals with suspected ties to a cybercrime group that stole millions from large companies and hospitals. Last year, Germany shut down the servers for the infamous Russian darknet marketplace Hydra and seized around seizing €23 million worth of Bitcoin. International authorities collaborated to shut down one of the largest dark web marketplaces, DarkMarket, in 2021, which led to the arrest of 150 alleged drug vendors.
What Awaits The Users? Buyers In The Crosshairs!
“We have very creative people who are themselves very innovative within the law and using a variety of tools to catch people who think they can hide in the dark net,” Wray said at Tuesday’s press conference. Unfortunately, the Dark Web remains a cesspool of illegal activity, often intertwined with cybercrime. The FBI Cleveland Field Office is investigating the case with assistance from the DEA and IRS-CI in Chicago. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Cybercrime Liaison Prosecutor to Eurojust provided significant assistance. PCMag.com is a leading authority on technology, delivering lab-based, independent reviews of the latest products and services. Our expert industry analysis and practical solutions help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.
Politie says it has been investigating the darknet platform from late 2022 until the end of 2023, when it shut down, following several service disruptions and a feud with a supposed “rogue developer” who allegedly caused the outages. In total, the Dutch police (Politie) and partners in Ireland, the UK, and the US seized over 8 million euros ($8.77M) worth of cryptocurrency from the two administrators. On Monday, Europol announced it had dismantled Archetyp Market, which had been around since 2020, making it one of the “most enduring” dark web drug providers, the agency said. That exit didn’t stop investigators from the Netherlands, Ireland, UK and the USA, leading to two arrests of suspected administrators.
Immigration Enforcement
Dark Web markets are not the only place redditors are seeking advice on finding antiquities. Department of Justice announced the results of Operation RapTor—an unprecedented international crackdown on darknet narcotics trafficking. Operation RapTor resulted in the highest number of seizures of any JCODE operation, including more than $200 million in currency and digital assets, over two metric tons of drugs, 144 kilograms of fentanyl or fentanyl-laced narcotics, and over 180 firearms. However, darknet market revenue is increasing as authorities struggle against dirty money moving through the dark web. If you think of buying products or services on adark web marketplace, perhaps out of sheer curiosity, then be aware that you may ultimately get. LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) A crackdown on darknet drug sales has swept up These online black market websites use a variety of technologies.
Law enforcement agencies from around the globe arrested 288 people suspected of buying or selling drugs on the dark web. In a pair of press releases posted on Tuesday, the US Department of Justice and Europol said the joint effort also resulted in the shutdown of the dark web marketplace, Monopoly Market. Police on three continents closed during a joint operation a dark web marketplace called “Monopoly Market,” arrested 288 people suspected of having used it to buy or sell drugs and seized cash and virtual currency worth US$53.4 million. From at least April 2021 until May 2023, McDonald and others conspired to sell fentanyl and cocaine via multiple darknet marketplaces. HSI New York leads and directs all operational and administrative activities of the El Dorado Task Force (EDTF).
