International Darknet raid: Four arrests in Austria too!

International Darknet raid: Four arrests in Austria too!

As part of an international operation called "Raptor", comprehensive measures against criminal structures were initiated in the Darknet. A total of 270 people in ten countries were arrested on four continents, such as vienna.at. The number of arrests in the United States was particularly high, where 130 suspects were identified. Germany (42 arrests) and the United Kingdom (37) are among the most affected countries.

Four people were arrested in Austria. These arrests are in the context of an intensive investigation that focused on the destruction of the Darknet marketplaces Nemesis, Tor2door, Bohemia and Kingdom Markets. The suspected encryption tools and cryptocurrencies to offer and sell their illegal goods, such as puls24.at reported.

crime in the Darknet

The operation aims to identify both providers and buyers of illegal goods and to be responsible. This includes the trade in drugs, weapons and fake products. The investigation was based on data from already closed marketplaces, and Europol played a central role by providing information.

The consolidations during the operation were considerable. Over 184 million euros were confiscated in cash and cryptocurrencies. In addition, more than two tons of drugs, including amphetamines, cocaine and cannabis, as well as over 180 firearms, imitation weapons and 12,500 fake products could be ensured. The trade with more than four tons of illegal tobacco was also stopped, such as the reporting of vienna.at and and puls24.at shows.

further investigations and outlook

In addition to the arrests already mentioned, further investigations could take place in Austria, especially in Vorarlberg. EU Commissioner Magnus Brunner called for strengthening Europol and a coordinated approach to criminal gangs to effectively counter the challenges of the darknet. The increase in commercial activities with prescription medication and fraudulent services is a growing threat that needs to be monitored.

These developments follow the previous "Operation Spector", in which 288 suspects were arrested in 2023. The continuous pressure on the criminal structures in the Darknet illustrates that they are not outside the reach of the law enforcement authorities, according to Europol. This underpins the need for international cooperation in combating cyber crime, which is becoming increasingly important, such as Spiegel.de emphasized.