THE HAGUE, Jan 12 (Reuters) – An online marketplace called “DarkMarket” that sold illegal drugs has been taken down in an operation led by German law enforcement agencies, European police agency Europol said on Tuesday. THE HAGUE (Reuters) – An online marketplace called “DarkMarket” that sold illegal drugs has been taken down in an operation led by German law enforcement agencies, European police agency Europol said on Tuesday. The one consistent theme throughout the book is the tough job law enforcement has on its hands globally around this issue, due to the anonymous nature of the internet and cybercrime being a global challenge.
- The dark web marketplace traded everything from drugs and counterfeit money to stolen credit card details and malware.
- Europol supported the takedown with specialist operational analysis and coordinated the cross-border collaborative effort of the countries involved.
- DarkMarket launched in June 2019 and increased in prominence throughout 2020, especially after the exit scam of the former number one marketplace Empire in August 2020.
- The investigation was led by German prosecutors and an Australian citizen who is alleged to be the operator of DarkMarket was arrested near the German-Danish border last weekend, Europol said.
DarkMarket, once the largest darknet marketplace, was shut down by law enforcement in January 2021. The marketplace, which operated on the Tor network, allowed users to buy and sell illegal goods, including drugs, weapons, and stolen data.
The Rise of DarkMarket
Europol Puts The Kibosh On World’s Largest Dark Web Market Place
“Cyber terrorism, cyber stalking and money laundering activities go from incubation to delivery stages in a variety of darknet channels daily. CarderPlanet, which is the first focus of the book, builds out its core members, including Script and Boa as well as other characters such as Fred Brown, who is a pivotal link into unearthing the administrators behind the group. Particularly interesting are the stories behind the site membership, such as how many were more focused on their social status on the site.
DarkMarket was launched in 2019 and quickly became the go-to marketplace for illegal goods on the darknet. At its peak, the marketplace had over 500,000 users and over 2,400 vendors. The site’s popularity was due in part to its user-friendly interface and its wide selection of illegal goods.
User-friendly Interface
Increase In Personal Data Leaks; Corporate Email At Risk
A total of 150 people – including 24 Britons – alleged to be involved in buying or selling illicit products or services on the dark web (also known as the darknet) have been arrested following a major international police operation. Given the current practices of market administrators, we should expect law enforcement to maintain their ability to monitor and crack down on markets. From past seizures, they have significant information on who the next administrators are likely to be, and their investigation targets are likely to be living close to them. We will continue to report on the changes in dark web marketplaces in the coming weeks, and share what we learn about market adoption by the criminal underground. The illicit dark web marketplace boasted over 500,000 users and, according to Europol, facilitated over 320,000 transactions of more than 4,650 bitcoin and 12,800 monero, which amounts to €140 million in the current exchange rate. For comparison, once deemed the world’s fastest growing dark web marketplace, Silk Road was used to “launder hundreds of millions of dollars” earned from transactions between thousands of dealers selling to over 100,000 buyers, the Drug Enforcement AdministrationOpens a new window said.
DarkMarket’s user-friendly interface made it easy for users to navigate the site and find what they were looking for. The site also had a built-in escrow service, which helped to protect both buyers and sellers.
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Wide Selection of Illegal Goods
DarkMarket had a wide selection of illegal goods, including drugs, weapons, and stolen data. The site also had a section for digital goods, such as hacked accounts and malware.
The Fall of DarkMarket
DarkMarket was shut down by law enforcement in January 2021, following a joint operation between German and Australian authorities. The operation, which was code-named “Dark HunTOR”, resulted in the arrest of the site’s alleged administrator and the seizure of over 20 servers.
Operation Dark HunTOR
Operation Dark HunTOR was a joint operation between German and Australian authorities, with the assistance of Europol and Eurojust. The operation involved the use of undercover agents, who infiltrated the site and gathered evidence leading to the arrest of the site’s alleged administrator and the seizure of over 20 servers.
Impact of DarkMarket’s Shutdown
According to Europol, DarkMarket had almost 500,000 users and more than 2,400 sellers at the time of closure. Data stores are dark web marketplaces that only sell data – stolen sensitive data, and data that support illegal activities, such as stolen credit card details, bank account details, hacking tutorials, cracking methods for breaching platforms, access to brand services/networks/accounts, etc. A globe-spanning group of law enforcement agencies took down DarkMarket, an underground dark web marketplace.
The shutdown of DarkMarket had a significant impact on the darknet marketplace scene. Many vendors and buyers moved to other marketplaces, while some chose to exit the scene altogether. The shutdown also highlighted the challenges faced by law enforcement in tackling illegal activities on the darknet.
FAQs
What was DarkMarket? DarkMarket was a darknet marketplace that allowed users to buy and sell illegal goods, including drugs, weapons, and stolen data.
What is a black market item in rocket League?
Black Markets is a type of rarity in Rocket League and it is regarded as the best rarity. This is because it is the hardest item to get out of a Blueprint or Crate with it having a 1% chance of obtaining one. There are two types of Black Markets you can get Black Market Goal Explosions and Black Market Decals.
When was DarkMarket launched? DarkMarket was launched in 2019.
When was DarkMarket shut down? DarkMarket was shut down by law enforcement in January 2021.
Who was behind the shutdown of DarkMarket? The shutdown of DarkMarket was the result of a joint operation between German and Australian authorities, with the assistance of Europol and Eurojust.
What was the impact of DarkMarket’s shutdown? The shutdown of DarkMarket had a significant impact on the darknet marketplace scene, with many vendors and buyers moving to other marketplaces or exiting the scene altogether.
Is AlphaBay still online?
After it was shut down in July 2017 following law enforcement action in the United States, Canada, and Thailand as part of Operation Bayonet, it was relaunched in August 2021 by the self-described co-founder and security administrator DeSnake.
