Unprecedented international enforcement move against drug traffickers on the dark web has been taken. This adds to the previous credits and is good news for all.
“This represents the most funds seized, and the highest number of arrests in any coordinated international action,” U.S. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said.
“The drug traffickers are confident that, by operating anonymously on the dark web, they can operate outside the bounds of the law. They are wrong.”
The achievement to be proud of
In a significant bust codenamed Operation SpecTor, authorities seized over
- $53.4 million in cash and virtual currencies,
- 850 kg of drugs, and 117 firearms.
The charges were made in the U.S. (153), the U.K. (55), Germany (52), the Netherlands (10), Austria (9), France (5), Switzerland (2), Poland (1), and Brazil (1).
German authorities made these arrests following the Monopoly marketplace’s closure by December 2021. Europol noted that the vendors arrested were active on other illegal marketplaces, making it difficult for them to continue their activities. Two hundred eighty-eight vendors and buyers were charged in Europe, the U.S., and Brazil.
Several high-value targets were apprehended, and law enforcement agencies accessed their extensive buyer lists, potentially exposing thousands of customers to prosecution.
Operation Spec Tor is the latest in a series of successful operations that targeted underground marketplaces and shops for the sale of illegal goods. In a related development, the FBI and National Police of Ukraine seized nine virtual currency exchanges for offering cryptocurrency conversion services to criminal actors responsible for ransomware and other scams.
Europe and US governments are working to dismantle malicious infrastructure actors used to launder illegal proceeds and obscure money trails.
“Our message to criminals on the dark web is this: You can try to hide in the furthest reaches of the internet, but the Justice Department will find you and hold you accountable for your crimes.
The Justice Department, together with our American and international partners, will continue to disrupt and dismantle darknet markets. We will continue to illuminate the dark web. And we will bring to justice those who try to hide their crimes there. I am now pleased to turn the podium over to FBI Deputy Director Abbate.“
Takeaways for the intruders
The success of Operation SpecTor is a testament to the collaborative efforts of law enforcement agencies worldwide in disrupting illegal activities on the dark web. With the apprehension of hundreds of vendors and buyers engaged in illicit trade, significant amounts of drugs, firearms, and virtual currencies have been confiscated.
The dismantling of cryptocurrency exchanges that enable money laundering by criminal actors also demonstrates the determination of governments to target infrastructure that obscures money trails. These efforts clearly show that there is no place to hide for those who engage in illegal online activities.
The fight against cybercrime is never-ending. It requires continued cooperation and innovation from law enforcement agencies and the cybersecurity community to keep pace with the evolving threat landscape.
PureVPN
May 5, 2023
1 year ago
