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Police arrest 288 in international 'dark web' drug sting

May 2, 2023

Europol said thousands of dark web customers around the world could now face prosecution as a result of the sting. It targeted people using the secretive corner of the internet to buy and sell narcotics.

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Europol said the multinational operation showed that police have the ability to identify and hold accountable those involved in illgeal activity, even on the dark webImage: Silas Stein/imago images

A global police sting involving law enforcement agencies from nine countries has shut down a so-called dark web marketplace and led to the arrests of 288 suspects involved in the buying and selling of narcotics.

European Union law enforcement agency Europol announced on Tuesday that the illegal dark web trading site called "Monopoly Market" was seized along with around €50.8 million (roughly USD 53.4 million) in cash and cryptocurrencies, 850 kilos (almost 1,900 pounds) of narcotics and 117 firearms.

Thousands of buyers could face prosecution

Europol said that investigations to "identify additional individuals" believed to be operating on the dark web were ongoing, and that authorities had "gained access to the vendors' extensive buyer lists."

As a result of this "thousands of customers across the globe are now at risk of prosecution as well," Europol said in a statement.

Tha agency said that evidence originally secured in December 2021 by Germany laying bare the marketplace's "criminal infrastructure" was the basis for the investigations.

Last April, German and US authorities shut down the "Hydra" marketplace, considered to be the highest grossing dark web market with an estimated revenue of €1.23 billion.

International policing effort

The operation, codenamed "SpecTor," was conducted in coordination with Austria, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Brazil, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Switzerland.

Arrests took place in the United States (153), the United Kingdom (55), Germany (52), the Netherlands (10), Austria (9), France (5), Switzerland (2), Poland (1) and Brazil (1).

A host of law enforcement agencies in Germany were involved in the multinational sting, including the national investigative police force (the BKA) and various police departments.

"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's Executive Director Catherine De Bolle said.

kb/msh (AP, Reuters)