THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Authorities in the U.S. and Europe arrested nearly 300 people, confiscated over $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. Last week, one of the dark web’s most prominent drug marketplaces – Archetyp – was shut down in an international, multi-agency law enforcement operation following years of investigations. It was touted as a major policing win and was accompanied by a slick cyberpunk-themed video.
Fill out the form to speak with our team about investigative professional services. Beyond drugs, there are now ever-growing examples of generative AI being used for sexual deepfakes across schools and even of public figures, including the recent case of NRL presenter Tiffany Salmond. This ability of dark web communities to thrive in disruptions reflects how dark web market users have become experts at adapting to risks, managing disruptions and rebuilding quickly. In fact, it is routine for individual’s participating in these dark web communities, par for the course of engaging in the markets. Usually these products are sent to the buyer by post and money transferred to the seller through the escrow system. She writes about cybersecurity startups, cyberattacks in Eastern Europe and the state of the cyberwar between Ukraine and Russia.
Did The Silk Road Marketplace Go Under?
The dark web is a hidden section of the internet that you cannot reach with common search engines like Bing or Google. The only way in is through the use of special software that renders all users anonymous and untraceable. So, what even is this dark web, and why are these marketplaces present there? OKX removed XMR and other privacy-focused tokens including dash DASH$23.43 and ZCash (ZCH) at the end of 2023.
US Treasury Sanctions Iranian National For Operating Darknet Market Nemesis
The Dutch national police’s Cyber Enabled Crime Team was involved in the operation, code-named SpecTor. “It’s safe to assume many of these people didn’t encrypt their shipping addresses, were low hanging fruit for law enforcement to call it a huge ‘operation’,” tweeted DarkDotFail. JoyInc is believed to have been operating since at least 2018 and is one of the most prolific methamphetamine and cocaine distributors to ever operate on the darknet. Most recently, Pedro Inzunza Noriega and his son, Pedro Inzunza Coronel, were indicted in California for fentanyl trafficking amid reports linking their Sinaloa Cartel faction to crypto-based laundering through Chinese brokers. And, of course, think twice before sharing too much personal details online.
Trump Pardons Silk Road Founder Ross Ulbricht
Local, state, and other federal agencies also contributed to investigations through task force participation and regional partnerships. At the start of the month, the Düsseldorf Police in Germany seized ‘Crimemarket,’ a German-speaking marketplace offering drugs and cybercrime services, counting 180,000 users, and arrested six people, including one of the leading operators. Operation RapTor showcased the growing impact of international cooperation in the fight against crypto-enabled crime.
According to DOJ officials, RapTor marks the most extensive action in the history of J-CODE—a multi-agency initiative focused on disrupting online opioid distribution and crypto-based money laundering. The dark web’s marketplace scene is a wild ride—full of ups, downs, and some epic busts that’d make a movie blush. I’ve been piecing this together from years of watching forums, dodging scams, and seeing how these darknet markets morph over time. It’s not just a tech tale; it’s a saga of gutsy moves, big money, and the cat-and-mouse game with law enforcement that’s shaped the dark web we know in 2025. From Silk Road’s wild west days to today’s slick setups like Abacus, here’s how it all went down—raw, real, and straight from the shadows. THE HAGUE — 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.
From Silk Road To RapTor: The Evolution Of Darknet Markets
Unlike regular e-commerce sites, markets on the dark web often deal with illegal or highly restricted goods and services, such as fake documents, hard drugs, and hacking services. Sure, you might come across listings for legit products like handcrafted jewelry or digital art, but those are few and far between. The result of this fallout is a significant fragmentation of darknet marketplaces, with smaller, specialized sites emerging to fill the void left by the collapsing giants. As major players tear each other apart, new, niche markets are carving out their own territories, often with a sharp focus on specific categories of illicit goods.
Crypto And The Drug Trade: The Nemesis, Incognito, And Haowang Cases
- This operation was about protecting innocent people from predatory criminals who profit from violence, addiction, and fear.
- Request a free trial today and strengthen your ability to track and disrupt illicit activities on the dark web.
- Now, that is not to say illegal behavior is completely beyond detection.
- Genesis Market and BidenCash, two top dark web marketplaces, were also shut down in 2023 and 2025, respectively.
- While announced as a package today, the arrests in the US have trickled through over the last several months.
If you take a quick look through darknet marketplaces, you’ll instantly notice an overwhelming supply of pirated content. We’re talking about even early access to unreleased music, leaked TV episodes, concert footage, and even popular video games before they officially drop. BidenCash was launched in 2022, and since it became a hot spot for cybercriminals to sell and buy illegal things, including stolen card information and personal data. However, in June 2025, BidenCash’s relevant domains (around 145) were seized by the US Department of Justice.
Top Darknet Markets 2025
In addition, today’s designation is OFAC’s first as a member of the Federal Bureau of Investigation-led interagency Joint Criminal Opioid and Darknet Enforcement Team. Since last year’s Nemesis takedown, Parsarad has discussed setting up a new DNM to take Nemesis’ place, with vendors who were previously active on the marketplace, according to OFAC. We will continue to provide updates on DNMs that emerge as possible successors to Nemesis and any connections between Parsarad’s activity and global fentanyl trafficking networks. The German police have seized infrastructure for the darknet Nemesis Market cybercrime marketplace in Germany and Lithuania, disrupting the site’s operation. LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A Las Vegas couple was sentenced to over 4 years in prison for trafficking drugs and distributing them nationwide across seven online darknet markets.
According to Chainalysis and TRM Labs, the majority of Chinese fentanyl precursor suppliers now accept crypto payments. Notably, stablecoins, particularly USDT, have become the foundation of the onchain fentanyl economy. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said the operation struck a significant blow to global supply chains for synthetic narcotics. Adding another layer of pressure, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) also slapped sanctions on Iranian national Behrouz Parsarad, identified as the operator of the Nemesis marketplace. “These people don’t just operate on one market, they cover the full spectrum of the dark web,” says Europol’s Georges. On the Reddit-style dark web forum known as “Dread,” users are trying to determine which vendors were compromised by the operation, Straight Arrow News found.
Latest High-Profile Arrests
According to the indictment, unnamed customers, including one who lived in Northern Illinois, placed multiple orders for counterfeit money. PCMag is obsessed with culture and tech, offering smart, spirited coverage of the products and innovations that shape our connected lives and the digital trends that keep us talking. Terry Castleman is a data reporter on the Fast Break Desk covering breaking news. In 2020, he was named alongside his colleagues as a Pulitzer Prize finalist in explanatory reporting. Previously, he worked at the New York Times and volunteered as a first responder for refugees arriving on the shores of Lesvos.
Hundreds Nabbed In Global Crackdown On Dark-web Drug Marketplace
These tools scan dark web forums and marketplaces for any signs of your compromised credentials. There is no need to visit darknet marketplaces yourself to know whether your data was leaked. From there, these products are then passed on to distributors, which are the dark web marketplaces in this context. On these marketplaces, they’re listed, sold, and promoted just like items on any e-commerce site. If you think the Dark web marketplaces are just online shops, you’re wrong — these sites are the actual weapon stores for criminals. They provide criminals with access to everything they need, from launching attacks to stealing data, etc.
This year’s law enforcement operation was accompanied by a public awareness campaign called Operation ProtecTor aimed to promote public safety and spread awareness of resources for those struggling with substance abuse and who go through extreme lengths to obtain opioids. JCODE has worked with every FBI field office in the country to facilitate outreach to households that have purchased individual amounts of opioids from the darknet. The interagency efforts are aimed to both identify those who use anonymizing technologies to purchase illicit narcotics and direct them to available resources.
