Global operation takes down dark web drug marketplace
1 year, 10 months ago

Global operation takes down dark web drug marketplace

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Law enforcement agencies around the world seized an online marketplace and arrested nearly 300 people allegedly involved in buying and selling drugs, European Union law enforcement agency Europol said Tuesday. “Our coalition of law enforcement authorities across three continents proves that we all do better when we work together,” Europol’s Executive Director, Catherine De Bolle, said in a statement. “This operation sends a strong message to criminals on the dark web: International law enforcement has the means and the ability to identify and hold you accountable for your illegal activities, even on the dark web.” Europol said that 288 suspects were arrested and more than 50.8 million euros in cash and virtual currencies, 850 kilograms of drugs, and 117 firearms were seized in a series of raids in several countries. “As law enforcement authorities gained access to the vendors’ extensive buyer lists, thousands of customers across the globe are now at risk of prosecution as well.” The agency, based in The Hague, built intelligence based on evidence from Germany, which it said seized the marketplace's “criminal infrastructure” in December 2021.

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History of this topic

The ‘Largest Illicit Online Marketplace’ Ever Is Growing at an Alarming Rate, Report Says
2 months, 1 week ago

The ‘Largest Illicit Online Marketplace’ Ever Is Growing at an Alarming Rate, Report Says

Wired  

The scam ecosystem has been booming around the world, with criminals honing a handful of strategies to trick victims into voluntarily sending their money into the abyss. Now, researchers say that in the pantheon of dark web marketplaces, the “largest illicit online marketplace” ever is now one that sells services to other scammers rather than focusing on drugs or other …

Dark Web, Telegram Give Easy Access to LSD, Heroin and Cocaine, Finds Report on Drug Trafficking
1 year, 7 months ago

Dark Web, Telegram Give Easy Access to LSD, Heroin and Cocaine, Finds Report on Drug Trafficking

News 18  

The dark web and instant messaging services such as Telegram are being rampantly used for drug trafficking, the India Future Foundation said in its recently released report. The IFF’s report highlights the convergence of the dark web and Telegram as a new challenge for law enforcement agencies combating drug trafficking. Our recent investigations have revealed a significant surge in drug …

Around 2.7 million users are visiting Dark Web on a daily basis for illegal activities: Report
1 year, 10 months ago

Around 2.7 million users are visiting Dark Web on a daily basis for illegal activities: Report

India TV News  

While the Dark Web only comprises an estimated 5 per cent of the entire internet, it has an alarming 2.7 million daily users and the volume of illegal activities being executed is alarming, a report has warned. Whilst its intended purpose is to allow people access to a censorship-free internet where they cannot be tracked by governments or any other …

Hundreds nabbed in global crackdown on dark-web drug marketplace
1 year, 10 months ago

Hundreds nabbed in global crackdown on dark-web drug marketplace

LA Times  

Authorities in the U.S. and Europe arrested nearly 300 people, confiscated more than $53 million and seized a dark-web marketplace as part of an international crackdown on drug trafficking that officials say was the largest operation of its kind. “Our coalition of law enforcement authorities across three continents proves that we all do better when we work together,” Europol’s executive …

California man and his alleged partner face life terms in dark web drug operation
2 years, 3 months ago

California man and his alleged partner face life terms in dark web drug operation

LA Times  

A bag of fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills. A California man and his alleged partner in cybercrime took to the dark web to peddle, among other drugs, thousands of fake oxycodone pills that were laced with fentanyl, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. In a 19-count federal grand jury indictment, Westminster resident Michael Ta, 24, and Houston resident Rajiv Srinivasan, 37, …

World’s largest illegal darknet marketplace shut down in US-German operation
2 years, 11 months ago

World’s largest illegal darknet marketplace shut down in US-German operation

The Independent  

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The world’s largest illegal darknet marketplace was shut down in a joint US-German …

Germany shuts down Russian darknet marketplace Hydra; seizes bitcoins worth $25 million
2 years, 11 months ago

Germany shuts down Russian darknet marketplace Hydra; seizes bitcoins worth $25 million

The Hindu  

German police said Tuesday they have shut down servers of the world’s largest illegal darknet marketplace Hydra, and seized bitcoins worth 23 million euros. The statement headlined with “illegal darknet marketplace ‘Hydra Market’ shut down.” Investigations of the Russian illegal marketplace started in August 2021 and also involved several US authorities, the BKA said. “The Hydra market was probably the …

150 people arrested in US-Europe darknet drug probe
3 years, 4 months ago

150 people arrested in US-Europe darknet drug probe

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — Law enforcement officials in the U.S. and Europe have arrested 150 people and seized more than $31 million in an international drug trafficking investigation stemming from sales on the darknet, the Justice Department said Tuesday. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said investigators found darknet vendors were running fake laboratories in their homes to create fake pills — designed …

Over 150 arrested in global crackdown on Darknet traders
3 years, 4 months ago

Over 150 arrested in global crackdown on Darknet traders

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy At least 150 people have …

150 people arrested in US-Europe darknet drug probe
3 years, 4 months ago

150 people arrested in US-Europe darknet drug probe

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Law enforcement officials in the …

More Than 150 Arrested in Global Crackdown on Darknet Traders: Dutch Media
3 years, 4 months ago

More Than 150 Arrested in Global Crackdown on Darknet Traders: Dutch Media

News 18  

At least 150 people have been arrested by European and U.S. authorities after a joint crackdown on traders of drugs, weapons and other illicit goods on darknet e-commerce sites, Dutch media reported Tuesday citing police agency Europol. Cash and cryptocurrency worth 26.7 million euros and 234 kilograms of drugs were also seized, according to Dutch broadcaster KRO-NRCV. According to the …

Autocrats must not get to take over the internet in covid times
3 years, 9 months ago

Autocrats must not get to take over the internet in covid times

Live Mint  

The covid pandemic has shown us two sides of technological progress. There’s the positive side that has delivered safe and useful vaccines in record time, helped economies with new stay-at-home online tools and improved disease surveillance and public health. The US and Europe have accused China and Russia of stepping up information warfare—from covid conspiracy theories to misleading information on …

Dutch police join international takedown of vast darknet child pornography platform
3 years, 10 months ago

Dutch police join international takedown of vast darknet child pornography platform

NL Times  

Four people have been arrested following an international operation that broke up what is believed to be one of the largest child pornography networks ever discovered, Europol confirmed. "Several other chat sites on the dark web used by child sexual offenders were also seized on the same occasion," Europol said. National police units in the Netherlands and Europol joined the …

Dark web, drugs and bitcoins send Bengaluru police into a tizzy
4 years, 1 month ago

Dark web, drugs and bitcoins send Bengaluru police into a tizzy

Hindustan Times  

How do you seize a Bitcoin? This was one of the several questions that puzzled Bengaluru Police while probing a hacker caught for purchasing drugs from the dark web using bitcoins in November last year. The case was among the 30 registered by the cops over the past year, wherein synthetic drugs and other contrabands were procured from the dark …

Dark web has become a marketplace for ‘vaccines’, other pandemic scams
4 years, 4 months ago

Dark web has become a marketplace for ‘vaccines’, other pandemic scams

Live Mint  

Following Donald Trump’s quick recovery from Covid-19 last month, In May, with coronavirus cases surging around the world and no end in sight, a supposed Spanish laboratory doctor promised Covid-19 infected blood and sputum. For the last few months, Bloomberg News has been exploring these underground sites and channels to investigate the extent Covid-19 has reshaped the dark web’s illicit …

Dark web raid: Almost 180 arrested as police seize $6.5m and 500kg of drugs
4 years, 6 months ago

Dark web raid: Almost 180 arrested as police seize $6.5m and 500kg of drugs

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Police forces from around the …

Justice Dept.: 179 arrested in darknet opioid takedown
4 years, 6 months ago

Justice Dept.: 179 arrested in darknet opioid takedown

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Law enforcement officials arrested 179 …

Sketchy darknet websites are taking advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic — buyer beware
4 years, 6 months ago

Sketchy darknet websites are taking advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic — buyer beware

Salon  

Underground markets that sell illegal commodities like drugs, counterfeit currency and fake documentation tend to flourish in times of crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic is no exception. The Darknet Analysis project at the Evidence-Based Cybersecurity Research Group here at Georgia State University collects data weekly from 60 underground darknet markets and forums. My colleagues Yubao Wu, Robert Harisson and I …

US Navy warns staff not to buy LSD on the dark web
4 years, 8 months ago

US Navy warns staff not to buy LSD on the dark web

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “Recent law enforcement reporting has revealed …

More than 300 arrested in worldwide sting of ‘largest dark web child sex abuse marketplace run by bitcoin’
5 years, 5 months ago

More than 300 arrested in worldwide sting of ‘largest dark web child sex abuse marketplace run by bitcoin’

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Hundreds of people were …

Dark web data dump sees 620 million accounts from hacked websites go on sale
6 years, 1 month ago

Dark web data dump sees 620 million accounts from hacked websites go on sale

The Independent  

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Cyber criminals have placed 617 million hacked accounts for sale on the dark …

Crackdown on prescription opioids followed by increase in ‘dark web’ purchases, study finds
6 years, 9 months ago

Crackdown on prescription opioids followed by increase in ‘dark web’ purchases, study finds

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. In the years since the DEA cracked down, …

UK among world's biggest buyers of drugs on dark web as illicit trade grows, survey finds
6 years, 10 months ago

UK among world's biggest buyers of drugs on dark web as illicit trade grows, survey finds

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. They look for convenience, product range, quality vendor ratings …

Police takeover of ‘dark web’ marketplace sends shock waves through underworld
7 years, 6 months ago

Police takeover of ‘dark web’ marketplace sends shock waves through underworld

Dutch News  

A Dutch police operation to shut down one of the largest ‘dark web’ marketplaces has had a tangible effect on illegal online dealing, according to new research. Research centre TNO analysed 195 new accounts set up on Dream Market, currently the largest anonymous marketplace, after Hansa was taken offline. ‘We will have to wait and see if the effects of …

Police takeover of ‘dark web’ marketplace sends shock waves through underworld
7 years, 6 months ago

Police takeover of ‘dark web’ marketplace sends shock waves through underworld

Dutch News  

A Dutch police operation to shut down one of the largest ‘dark web’ marketplaces has had a tangible effect on illegal online dealing, according to new research. Research centre TNO analysed 195 new accounts set up on Dream Market, currently the largest anonymous marketplace, after Hansa was taken offline. ‘We will have to wait and see if the effects of …

Dark web bust has drug dealers worried: report
7 years, 6 months ago

Dark web bust has drug dealers worried: report

NL Times  

The Dutch police taking down dark web black market Hansa last month, caused some panic among drug dealers who used the site, according to a study by TNO that is in possession of NRC. A number of drug dealers switched to alternative trading site Dream Market, changed their names, and changed the PGP - the encryption used on communications between …

AlphaBay: Dark Web drugs marketplace mysteriously goes offline sparking fears of a major heist
7 years, 7 months ago

AlphaBay: Dark Web drugs marketplace mysteriously goes offline sparking fears of a major heist

The Independent  

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A major Dark Web marketplace where people can buy illegal goods, such as …

A majority of weapons sold illegally on the dark web can be tracked back to the United States
7 years, 7 months ago

A majority of weapons sold illegally on the dark web can be tracked back to the United States

Firstpost  

A study conducted by The University of Manchester and RAND Europe has found that up to 60 percent of the weapons on sale on dark web marketplaces are from the United States. Recent high-profile cases have shown that the threat posed by individuals or small groups obtaining weapons illegally from the dark web is real. The ability for criminals and …

AlphaBay: What is the Dark Web marketplace linked to several deaths?
7 years, 8 months ago

AlphaBay: What is the Dark Web marketplace linked to several deaths?

The Independent  

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. AlphaBay was a major underground marketplace, used to trade a range of illegal goods, including drugs, firearms, …

Dutch police takes down international dark web market
7 years, 8 months ago

Dutch police takes down international dark web market

NL Times  

The Dutch police, in cooperation with the FBI, took down an international illegal market on the dark web, the police announced in a statement on Thursday. According to Wilbert Paulissen, head of detectives at the police, the purpose of this action was to catch as many perpetrators as possible, but also to make clear that "you should not buy drugs …

US government shuts down Alphabay, taking down huge parts of the dark web
7 years, 8 months ago

US government shuts down Alphabay, taking down huge parts of the dark web

The Independent  

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The world's biggest drugs marketplace on the dark web has been shut down, …

Dutch police take control of dark web market, monitor thousands of deals
7 years, 8 months ago

Dutch police take control of dark web market, monitor thousands of deals

Dutch News  

Dutch police said on Thursday they have shut down and dismantled one of the biggest ‘illegal market places on the internet today’ after keeping it running for a month and recording thousands of transactions. Hansa Market was the most popular dark market on the ‘anonymous’ part of the internet, or dark net, police said in a statement. Police say the …

The Biggest Dark Web Takedown Yet Sends Black Markets Reeling
55 years, 2 months ago

The Biggest Dark Web Takedown Yet Sends Black Markets Reeling

Wired  

Not since the days of the now-legendary Silk Road has a single site dominated the dark web's black market as completely, and for as long, as the online bazaar known as AlphaBay. Ripple Effects According to posts on dark web forums and Reddit's discussion pages devoted to darknet markets, most of AlphaBay's users seemed to initially seek a new home …

Class of 2017: The students turning to the Dark Web for their drug fix
8 years, 1 month ago

Class of 2017: The students turning to the Dark Web for their drug fix

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. open image in gallery Alphabay Market operates as an …

Britain’s booming online drugs market proves ‘utter futility of the war on drugs’, campaigners say
8 years, 7 months ago

Britain’s booming online drugs market proves ‘utter futility of the war on drugs’, campaigners say

The Independent  

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. UK dark web sellers were doing 20,748 drug deals worth £1.8m a month – nearly …

Nine arrested in Europe-wide dark web raids
9 years ago

Nine arrested in Europe-wide dark web raids

Wired  

Shutterstock Dark web suspects allegedly trading in illegal drugs, weapons, fake IDs and counterfeit money have been targeted in a series of police raids across Europe. He is also accused of helping to process illegal transactions and allegedly acted as a "trustee" between buyers and sellers on dark web marketplaces. German prosecutors confirmed the shutdown of five dark web sites …

Crackdowns Haven't Stopped the Dark Web's $100M Yearly Drug Sales
9 years, 7 months ago

Crackdowns Haven't Stopped the Dark Web's $100M Yearly Drug Sales

Wired  

After more than four years and two giant law enforcement busts, the Dark Web's drug market is still just as robust as it was during the Silk Road's heyday. From 2013 to early 2015, they used automated software to "scrape" the visible contents of 35 Dark Web markets, counting the number of feedback ratings that the major drug sites require …

The Web’s Biggest Black Market Mysteriously Disappeared. Was It a Plan to Scam Users?
10 years ago

The Web’s Biggest Black Market Mysteriously Disappeared. Was It a Plan to Scam Users?

Slate  

This post originally appeared on WIRED. The result has been a wave of panic that’s shaken the online black market economy as much as any of the law enforcement drug busts of the last two years. Late Tuesday, a Reddit user named NSWGreat who had earlier self-described as an Evolution drug dealer and “public relations” staffer—he or she had even …

The Dark Web's Top Drug Market, Evolution, Just Vanished
10 years ago

The Dark Web's Top Drug Market, Evolution, Just Vanished

Wired  

In the 18 months since the Silk Road online black market for narcotics was taken down by a swarm of three-letter agencies, a site known as Evolution has taken its place at the top of the dark web drug trade. The result has been a wave of panic that's shaken the online black market economy as much as any of …

German Police Just Made a Gigantic Dark-Web Drug Bust
10 years ago

German Police Just Made a Gigantic Dark-Web Drug Bust

Wired  

The investigation, according to Leipzig police spokesperson Katharina Geyer, began nearly a year ago, and more arrests may still be in the works. But Shiny-Flakes was also a well-known vendor on Evolution, the Dark Web drug market that has recently become the successor to the defunct Silk Road as the most popular market for anonymous drug sales online. News of …

Is the Darknet a glimpse into the web of the future?
10 years, 3 months ago

Is the Darknet a glimpse into the web of the future?

CNN  

Editor’s Note: Tomorrow Transformed explores innovative approaches and opportunities available in business and society through technology. Story highlights The Darknet is an anonymised section of the net where users can operate without leaving their digital fingerprints The Darknet attracts the internet's fringe dwellers, from criminal syndicates to human rights activists and dissidents An art group has armed an internet bot …

How the Dark Web's New Favorite Drug Market Is Profiting From Silk Road 2's Demise
10 years, 4 months ago

How the Dark Web's New Favorite Drug Market Is Profiting From Silk Road 2's Demise

Wired  

When a major law enforcement crackdown killed the Silk Road 2 earlier this month, it scattered the Dark Web's drug dealers. __Since the FBI's and Europol's Operation Onymous seized dozens of Dark Web sites including the Silk Road 2, Evolution has more than tripled its rate of growth in new product listings, according to data collected by the non-profit Digital …

Joint raid in US, Europe shuts down 400 illegal websites
10 years, 4 months ago

Joint raid in US, Europe shuts down 400 illegal websites

India TV News  

London: A raid involving 16 European countries and the US led to the shutting down of more than 400 websites selling illegal items including drugs and weapons, a media report said Friday. The joint effort saw 17 people arrested for their involvement in the operations of the illegal sites, which could be accessed only on the Tor network -- a …

Global Web Crackdown Arrests 17, Seizes Hundreds Of Dark Net Domains
10 years, 4 months ago

Global Web Crackdown Arrests 17, Seizes Hundreds Of Dark Net Domains

Wired  

When "Operation Onymous" first came to light yesterday, it looked like a targeted strike against a few high value targets in the Dark Web drug trade. On Friday, the European police agency Europol along with the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security announced that the operation has now arrested 17 people in as many countries and seized hundreds of …

Inside the 'DarkMarket' Prototype, a Silk Road the FBI Can Never Seize
10 years, 10 months ago

Inside the 'DarkMarket' Prototype, a Silk Road the FBI Can Never Seize

Wired  

The Silk Road, for all its clever uses of security protections like Tor and Bitcoin to protect the site's lucrative drug trade, still offered its enemies a single point of failure. If one group of Bitcoin black market enthusiasts has their way, the next online free-trade zone could be a much more elusive target. "What doesn't kill you makes you …

Silk Road closure fails to dampen illegal drug sales online, experts say
10 years, 11 months ago

Silk Road closure fails to dampen illegal drug sales online, experts say

ABC  

The online illegal drug business is booming, researchers say, with several new websites popping up despite the closure of the infamous website Silk Road last year. Despite the high-profile arrests, illegal drug sellers and buyers were able to find plenty of alternative market places within a month of Silk Road's demise. Website launched in February 2011, became known as 'eBay …

European, US authorities take control of websites
11 years, 3 months ago

European, US authorities take control of websites

Firstpost  

Europol says American and European authorities have taken control of 690 websites… Europol says American and European authorities have taken control of 690 websites that were selling counterfeit merchandise. The European police coordination agency said the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement had teamed up with European law enforcement agencies and Hong Kong customs authorities to seize the sites’ domain names. …

New National Crime Agency investigates UK suspects over illegal drugs website Silk Road
11 years, 5 months ago

New National Crime Agency investigates UK suspects over illegal drugs website Silk Road

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The new National Crime Agency …

Underground online drug market Silk Road shut by FBI, alleged owner arrested
11 years, 5 months ago

Underground online drug market Silk Road shut by FBI, alleged owner arrested

Firstpost  

US law enforcement authorities have shut down Silk Road, the underground marketplace where one could purchase drugs with Bitcoins… US law enforcement authorities have managed to shut down Silk Road, an underground marketplace where one could allegedly purchase drugs with Bitcoins. The Federal Bureau of Investigation announced on Wednesday that it had arrested the owner of Silk Road, Ross William …

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