The Muvattupuzha native is suspected to be the kingpin of this sophisticated trafficking network. Investigations are on to identify the end-users and other operatives,” an NCB officer said. For a local machine configuration, he recommends a computer purchased for cash running Linux, using a local Tor transparent proxy. For operations security he suggests avoiding storing conversation logs, varying writing styles, avoiding mobile phone-based tracking and leaking false personal details to further obfuscate one’s identity.
- In 2024, fraud shop inflows declined by 50% YoY, a sharp downturn from the last three years.
- After that, many other marketplaces kept trying to take its place and become the top dark web market.
- All four defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, ketamine, and MDMA (Ecstasy).
- Immediately change your passwords, enable two-factor authentication, and notify your bank or credit card provider if the leaked information includes your financial data.
Saheed Aremu passionately advocates for digital privacy and cybersecurity in the modern digital age. As one of PrivacySavvy’s resident VPN experts, he guides readers on protecting their online information and anonymity. Saheed earned his degree in Technology and Ethics from the University of Lagos in Nigeria.
Money Laundering
These tools scan dark web forums and marketplaces for any signs of your compromised credentials. There is no need to visit darknet marketplaces yourself to know whether your data was leaked. From there, these products are then passed on to distributors, which are the dark web marketplaces in this context. On these marketplaces, they’re listed, sold, and promoted just like items on any e-commerce site. If you think the Dark web marketplaces are just online shops, you’re wrong — these sites are the actual weapon stores for criminals.
While China-based vendors are frequently referenced as the source of precursors for dangerous synthetic drugs, their involvement in machinery sales is also an important aspect of the drug supply chain. One China-based pill press manufacturer which advertises on clearnet business-to-business (B2B) websites has on-chain ties to drug vendors on Abacus Market. Along with its listings for large pill press machines, the vendor does not hide the sale of Oxycontin and Xanax TDP die kits, which are used to press counterfeit pills. The vendor accepts BTC and XMR, and analyzing its on-chain exposure to regional CEXs and DNMs reveals that it serves customers worldwide, including in the United States, Canada, Sweden, and Russia.
XRP Slides 4% Amid Bitcoin Sell-Off, But Cup-and-Handle Setup To $5 Intact
Later in 2022, the US Naval Research Laboratory built on Freenet’s idea to create a secure and encrypted network for sensitive communications, which was later released to the public as open-source software. To turn it on, just go to the “Settings” and then the “Tools” section of the NordVPN app and activate “Dark Web Monitoring.” In the end, it’s all about staying one step ahead. The more proactive you are, the better you can protect yourself against identity theft and other cyber threats. Sometimes, you might be hacked by using weak passwords or even just connecting to unsecured Wi-Fi on public networks. And in a world where almost everything we do is online, taking your digital privacy seriously is more important than ever. First things first, always use strong and different passwords for each account you open.
Hundreds Nabbed In Global Crackdown On Dark-web Drug Marketplace
Inside, buyers could browse thousands of drug listings, many accompanied by reviews and ratings. The platform also featured prescription drug listings falsely marketed as authentic, and some products were outright scams—counterfeit pills advertised as legitimate pharmaceuticals. Archetyp’s takedown might make headlines, but it won’t stop the trade of illicit drugs on the dark web.
Fraud And Hacking Services
The largest number of arrests were made in the U.S., which is in the grips of an overdose crisis. Synthetic opioids, mostly fentanyl, kill more Americans every year than died in the Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan wars combined. Avalyan is charged with one count of distribution of cocaine, one count of distribution of MDMA, and one count of distribution of distribution of methamphetamine. Gevorgyan is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute MDMA and one count of possession with intent to distribute ketamine. Grigoryan is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Investigations
Depending on the severity of the chemical, some manufacturers still follow this practice. While not all are pictured above, in total, we found 16 vendors either selling or sourcing drug material from Abacus and purchasing production supplies from this China-based vendor. They also sell PMK and BMK, which are precursors to MDMA and methamphetamine, respectively. While the US market is best characterized by its diverse product offerings, other countries offer regional specialties.
Feds Dismantled The Dark-Web Drug Trade—but It’s Already Rebuilding
Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois Morris Pasqual, FBI Chicago Special Agent in Charge Robert W. BKA has not mentioned if the server administrators or any of the platform’s core operators were identified or arrested during the action. At its peak, Nemesis counted over 150,000 user accounts and 1,100 seller accounts worldwide, with about 20% of them being based in Germany.
The Chainalysis 2025 Crypto Crime Report
- The Reactor graph below shows this vendor’s connection with drug vendors on Abacus Market.
- On the Reddit-style dark web forum known as “Dread,” users are trying to determine which vendors were compromised by the operation, Straight Arrow News found.
- Authorities also confiscated more than two metric tons of drugs, 144 kilograms of fentanyl-laced narcotics, and over 180 firearms.
- U.S. agencies like the FBI, DEA, IRS-CI, and HSI worked alongside Europol, the U.K.’s NCA, and law enforcement from over a dozen countries.
The cybercriminals trade even sensitive documents, such as medical records, passport information, and driver’s licenses. Whether you want some pharmaceutical products (drugs) or digital items, you will probably find the products here, and that too at affordable prices. Vice City listens to the problems faced by its customers and vendors and solves them so that they can keep using the platform with ease. To access the marketplace, dark web users must register first and pass the CAPTCHA test to prove they are human.
The seizures, to which ICE Homeland Security Investigations significantly contributed, include more than $200 million in currency and digital assets, over two metric tons of drugs, comprised of 144 kilograms of fentanyl or fentanyl-laced narcotics, and over 180 firearms. In addition, the United States and international law enforcement partners made 270 arrests of dark web vendors, buyers, and administrators in Austria, Brazil, France, Germany, Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and the United States. This shift poses unique challenges for law enforcement, who must adapt traditional monitoring methods.
Operation SpecTor was a collaborative initiative across JCODE members, including the Department of Justice, FBI, DEA, USPIS, HSI, IRS-CI, ATF, Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), and the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations. This operation was aided by non-operational supporting participation from the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) and U.S. Local, state, and other federal agencies also contributed to Operation SpecTor investigations through task force participation and regional partnerships. Law enforcement also conducted more seizures than any prior operation, including 117 firearms, 850 kilograms of drugs that include 64 kilograms of fentanyl or fentanyl-laced narcotics, and $53.4 million in cash and virtual currencies.
Making Cybercrime Easy For Anyone
For the first time, FBI agents from all of the bureau’s field offices visited buyers to tell them about the overdose danger of pills sold online, which are often disguised to look like prescription drugs. This year’s law enforcement operation was accompanied by a public awareness campaign called Operation ProtecTor aimed to promote public safety and spread awareness of resources for those struggling with substance abuse and who go through extreme lengths to obtain opioids. JCODE has worked with every FBI field office in the country to facilitate outreach to households that have purchased individual amounts of opioids from the darknet. The interagency efforts are aimed to both identify those who use anonymizing technologies to purchase illicit narcotics and direct them to available resources. If you take a quick look through darknet marketplaces, you’ll instantly notice an overwhelming supply of pirated content. We’re talking about even early access to unreleased music, leaked TV episodes, concert footage, and even popular video games before they officially drop.
Darknet Market And Online Pharmacy Inflows According To Drug-purchasing Behaviors
Silk Road popularized the use of Bitcoin, anonymizing technologies like Tor, and vendor reputation systems. But today’s markets are more fragmented, more resilient, and harder to track. Law enforcement shutdowns are also only one type of disruption that dark web communities face. Dark web market users routinely face voluntary closures (the gradual retirement of a market), exit scams (sudden closures of markets where any money in escrow is taken), or even scheduled maintenance of these markets. Compared to its predecessors, Archetyp enforced enhanced security expectations from its users.
