Europol Dismantles Global Dark Web Drug Networks

After a sweeping international law enforcement operation, Europol has announced the arrest of 270 people tied to illegal drug and firearms trafficking on the dark web. The crackdown, dubbed Operation Raptor, is one of the largest of its kind and targeted a large number of online criminal marketplaces.

Global reach

Europol coordinated the operation alongside authorities from the United States, and European nations, including Germany. Law enforcement agencies made synchronized raids and digital takedowns that resulted in a number of significant measures:

270 arrests across multiple countries
More than $184 million in cash and cryptocurrency seizures
Hundreds of kilograms of drugs, including amphetamines, cocaine, ketamine, opioids and cannabis
Over 180 firearms, along with imitation weapons, tasers and knives, have been removed from circulation

“Operation RapTor shows that the dark web is not beyond the reach of law enforcement. Through close cooperation and intelligence sharing, officers across four continents identified and arrested suspects, sending a clear message to those who think they can hide in the shadows. Europol will continue working with our partners to make the internet safer for everyone,” said Edvardas Šileris, the Head of Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre.

Worldwide operation

Authorities use advanced cyber forensics to infiltrate and monitor several marketplaces hosted on the dark web. The operation was partially helped by data obtained from previous dark web takedowns, including the takedowns of DarkMarket and Hydra, major platforms used for the anonymous sale of drugs and illegal goods, alongside information from dark web marketplaces such as Nemesis, Tor2Door, Bohemia and Kingdom Markets.

The arrests took place in the following countries: