A global crackdown on illegal trade on the dark web has led to 288 arrests and the seizure of around €51 million in cash and virtual currency, the European police agency announced on Tuesday.
“Law enforcement agencies have seized the illegal dark web marketplace ‘Monopoly Market’ and arrested 288 suspects involved in buying or selling drugs on the dark web,” Europol, which coordinated the international operation involving nine countries, said in a statement.
More than € 50.8 million in cash and virtual currencies, 850 kg of drugs, and 117 firearms were seized,” Europol said.” The seized drugs include over 258 kg of amphetamines, 43 kg of cocaine, 43 kg of MDMA and over 10 kg of LSD and ecstasy pills.”
This operation, codenamed SpecTor, was made up of a series of separate, complementary actions in Austria, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Brazil, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Switzerland.
The bulk of the arrests took place in the United States (153), United Kingdom (55) and Germany (52), followed by the Netherlands (10), Austria (9), France (5), Switzerland (2), Poland (1) and Brazil (1).
A number of investigations to identify additional individuals behind dark web accounts are still ongoing, Europol disclosed.
As law enforcement authorities gained access to the vendors’ extensive buyers' lists, thousands of customers across the globe are now at risk of prosecution as well, the European police agency added.
