Login
iscover
Share this article on:
Powered by
MOMENTUM
MEDIA
Powered by MOMENTUMMEDIA
Agencies from across Europe worked together to take down a popular darknet drug market.
Law enforcement agencies from five European countries and the United States have successfully collaborated on an operation to take down one of the longest-running darknet drug markets, Archetyp Market.
Backed by Europol and Eurojust, agencies from Germany, the Netherlands, Romania, Spain, and Sweden took part in a series of actions between 11 and 13 June, targeting the markets administrator, its moderators, and key vendors.
“With this takedown, law enforcement has taken out one of the dark web’s longest-running drug markets, cutting off a major supply line for some of the world’s most dangerous substances,” Jean-Philippe Lecouffe, Europol’s deputy executive director of operations, said in a recent statement.
“By dismantling its infrastructure and arresting its key players, we are sending a clear message: there is no safe haven for those who profit from harm.”
Market infrastructure in the Netherlands was dismantled, and the market’s admin, a 30-year-old German national, was arrested in Spain. At the same time, efforts in Germany and Sweden targeted one moderator and six of Archetyp’s biggest vendors, which led to the seizure of €7.8 million.
Archetyp had been in operation for more than five years and had more than 600,000 users worldwide, including in Australia. The market boasted more than 17,000 listings for substances such as amphetamines, cocaine, and MDMA.
The final phase of the market takedown followed several years of investigations to map out the market’s darknet infrastructure and money flows. A seizure banner (pictured) has been published to the market’s darknet address.
David Hollingworth has been writing about technology for over 20 years, and has worked for a range of print and online titles in his career. He is enjoying getting to grips with cyber security, especially when it lets him talk about Lego.
Be the first to hear the latest developments in the cyber industry.
