$290 million in crypto, 600,000 users and more...: Police of 6 countries take down Europe longest-standing dark web drug market
Authorities from six nations have dismantled
Archetyp Market
, a notorious darknet drug marketplace that had been in operation since May 2020. According to
Europol
, the platform facilitated large-scale drug transactions, offering substances like cocaine, amphetamines, heroin, cannabis, MDMA, and synthetic opioids, including fentanyl. With over 3,200 vendors and more than 17,000 listings, it became the longest standing
dark web drug market
.
During its five-year run, Archetyp Market attracted over 612,000 users and processed transactions totaling more than €250 million (approximately $289 million) in Monero cryptocurrency, Bleeping computer said.
"Between 11 and 13 June, a series of coordinated actions took place across Germany, the Netherlands, Romania, Spain, Sweden, targeting the platform's administrator, moderators, key vendors, and technical infrastructure. Around 300 officers were deployed to carry out enforcement actions and secure critical evidence," Europol said.
How the police cracked down the illegal drug marketplace
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As part of the international enforcement effort, dubbed
Operation Deep Sentinel
, German police led the charge with support from Europol and
Eurojust
. Other countries that collaborated in the effort included Netherlands, Romania, Spain, Sweden and the US.
Investigators in the Netherlands dismantled the site's infrastructure, while Spanish authorities arrested a 30-year-old German national suspected of being its administrator in Barcelona, said Bleeping Computer, adding one moderator and six of the most active vendors were apprehended in Germany and Sweden.
"With this takedown, law enforcement has taken out one of the dark web's longest-running drug markets, cutting off a major supply line for some of the world's most dangerous substances. By dismantling its infrastructure and arresting its key players, we are sending a clear message: there is no safe haven for those who profit from harm," said Jean-Philippe Lecouffe, Europol's deputy executive director of operations.
The operation led to the seizure of 47 smartphones, 45 computers, narcotics, and assets valued at 7.8 million euros, marking a significant crackdown on dark web
drug trafficking
.
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