179 Darknet Vendors Arrested in Global Disruptor Operation

Law enforcement agencies have arrested 179 darknet vendors as part of the international operation Disruptor. The operation was primarily coordinated by Germany’s Federal Criminal Police Office, with support from the Dutch National Police, the UK’s National Crime Agency, Europol, Eurojust, and various U.S. agencies, including the Department of Justice and the FBI.

Operation Disruptor followed last year’s shutdown of the major marketplace Wall Street Market, which had over 1.1 million users and 5,400 vendors. After the closure, investigators were able to identify many users of the platform and have now reported the arrests of 179 individuals across several countries: 121 suspects were arrested in the United States, 42 in Germany, eight in the Netherlands, four in the United Kingdom, three in Austria, and one in Sweden. All those detained are suspected of involvement in the trade of illegal goods and services, including drugs and firearms.

Authorities also reported that during searches, police seized more than $6.5 million in cash and cryptocurrency, around 500 kilograms of various drugs (including cocaine, heroin, oxycodone, and methamphetamine), as well as 64 firearms.

“The golden age of darknet marketplaces is over. Operations like this highlight the ability of law enforcement to counter the encryption and anonymity of darknet trading platforms. Police are not only shutting down these illegal marketplaces, but also pursuing criminals who buy and sell illegal goods through such sites. The darknet is not a magical land—vendors and buyers can no longer hide in the shadows,” Europol said in a statement.