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Investigators are apparently shedding light on the Darknet
Photo: Silas Stein / dpa
Investigators from Europe and the USA continue to take action against crime in the so-called Darknet.
179 suspected vendors of drugs and other illegal goods were arrested in a worldwide operation.
There were well over 100 arrests in the USA, 42 in Germany and others in the Netherlands, Great Britain, Austria and Sweden.
The European police authority Europol announced on Tuesday in The Hague.
In the darknet - a part of the Internet that is difficult to access and often used for criminal activities - organized gangs offer drugs, weapons and stolen goods as well.
According to Europol, cash and virtual currencies worth 6.5 million US dollars (5.5 million euros) as well as 500 kilograms of drugs - including heroin, cocaine and ecstasy - as well as 64 firearms were confiscated in the operation called "DisrupTor".
US Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen spoke of a "powerful blow against this criminal underworld".
He continued, "These dark web marketplaces have been growing in popularity at an alarming rate, allowing drug dealers to openly offer and take orders around the world," said Rosen.
"Success story" of international investigations
"DisrupTor" goes back to successful German investigations against providers in the Darknet and their customers in 2019, as the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) announced on request.
One consequence of these investigations are numerous criminal proceedings against sellers and buyers, which are carried out both in Germany and in other European countries, said the BKA.
The operation is a clear signal to cybercriminals, said the head of Europol's Cybercrime Center, Edvardas Sileris.
"The hidden internet is no longer hidden, and your anonymous activities are no longer anonymous. Law enforcement officers are determined to track down criminals, whether they operate on the street or behind a computer monitor."
Rosen made a similar statement: "Today's announcement is a success story for international law enforcement cooperation."
According to the information, "DisrupTor" was preceded in 2019 by the smashing of the "Wall Street Market", one of the largest illegal markets in the Darknet.
In April 2019, the Public Prosecutor's Office in Frankfurt am Main and the BKA arrested three suspects who are suspected of having operated this illegal online marketplace together.
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ptz / dpa
