A large-scale operation called “DarkHunTOR” against illegal trade on the Dark Web has led to the arrest of about 150 suspects, the Hague-based European police organization Europol said on Tuesday.
Several million euros in cash and bitcoin, as well as drugs and weapons were confiscated in this operation called “DarkHunTOR” which followed the dismantling in January, under the leadership of the German police, of DarkMarket – the largest site selling drugs, counterfeit documents and counterfeit currency, hosted by DarkNet.
Operation DarkHunTOR “consisted of a series of separate but complementary actions in Australia, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States,” Europol said.
In the United States, about 65 people were arrested in the operation, which led to 47 arrests in Germany, 24 in the United Kingdom, four in Italy and four in the Netherlands. Several people arrested were “important targets” for Europol.
Law enforcement seized 26.7 million euros in cash and bitcoin, as well as drugs, including 25,000 ecstasy pills, and 45 firearms.
In Italy, police also closed illegal markets called “DeepSea” and “Berlusconi” which featured “more than 100,000 advertisements for illegal products,” according to Europol, whose operation was carried out in coordination with Eurojust, the European Union’s agency for judicial cooperation.
“The purpose of such operations is to alert Dark Web offenders that the law enforcement community has the means and international partnerships to expose them and bring them to justice for their illegal activities, even in areas Dark Web “, said Europol’s Deputy Director of Operations, Jean-Philippe Lecouffe.
Editor : A.C.
