Crimemarket, a German-based online marketplace, was taken down by German authorities following a lengthy international investigation.
With over 180,000 active users, Crimemarket once served as one of the largest criminal marketplaces in the world. Unlike many of these digital shops, you could reach Crimemarket through either the dark web or through the Clearnet (a website reachable via regular search engines, without the need to use services like Tor).
“On Thursday, February 29, 2024, a total of 102 search warrants were executed simultaneously nationwide in the evening,” writes the Dusseldorf police in a recent press release. “With 36 search objects, the local focus of the measures was primarily in North Rhine-Westphalia.”
The Dusseldorf police raided several suspects, including the home of a 23-year-old suspect living in a residential home in Neuss (Korschenbroich). They found a massive cache of cybersecurity-related equipment as well as copious amounts of drugs.
The police recovered over 1 kilogram of marijuana and a supply of ecstasy tablets, as well as other narcotics the suspect had in his possession. This marks one of the largest drug busts in Germany over the last several years.
Over 600,000 Euros worth of cash and assets were also retrieved (worth roughly $650,000). Authorities were able to easily take the domain and promptly shut down the marketplace. As a result of capturing the marketplace’s ring leaders, authorities obtained sensitive information regarding other criminals who used the service.
The international investigation also proved a success, as multiple arrests were made.
“In the police measures in other federal states, which were initiated by the local police, a total of three more people were arrested,” the police said in a press release. “The investigations are directed against both the providers operating via the illegal marketplace and the users. The evaluation of the secured data, documents, and evidence is ongoing.”