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04-05-2023
NEW YORK: Nearly 300 people, believed to be involved in illegal trade in an online marketplace called the Dark web, were apprehended Tuesday by the European Union’s law enforcement agency Europol, seizing the online illicit bazaar, media reported.
It is one of the latest crackdowns in a worldwide operation targeting the “Monopoly Market,” and coordinated by Europol.
The dark web is a place where criminals and terrorists exchange trade and services without being traced because of network encryption.
Europol’s Executive Director, Catherine De Bolle, said in a statement: “Our coalition of law enforcement authorities across three continents proves that we all do better when we work together.”
“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,” ED said.
According to Europol, 288 suspects have been apprehended and more than 50.8 million Euros [$53.4 million] in cash and virtual currencies, 850 kilograms of drugs, and 117 weapons were seized in a series of raids in several countries.
Despite the information, it is yet to be ascertained when the arrests happened.
The agency said the seized drugs include 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.
The Hague-based agency also noted: “The largest number of arrests 153 were made in the United States, followed by the United Kingdom with 55 and Germany with 52.”
It highlighted: “A number of investigations to identify additional individuals behind dark web accounts are still ongoing. 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.”
Europol had collected information on evidence from Germany, which it said seized the marketplace’s “criminal infrastructure” in December 2021.
Leading up to the operation announced Tuesday, German and US authorities took down the “Hydra” dark web market in April last year. (Int’l Monitoring Desk)
