ToRReZ Darknet Marketplace Closes Its Doors

According to media reports, the ToRReZ marketplace has shut down in the darknet. The operators of the marketplace voluntarily ceased operations, making ToRReZ the third major trading platform to close “by choice” this year.

The news was reported by The Record, which noted that ToRReZ launched in February 2020 and operated similarly to Amazon and eBay (with the obvious difference of being illegal). The site allowed users to register as buyers or sellers.

Based on its own statistics, ToRReZ had over 160,000 registered users. The marketplace was primarily known for drug sales, but it also offered other “products,” including malware, data dumps, fake documents, and more.

Official Statement and Shutdown Process

“After 675 days in the darknet, we have decided to close our doors forever,” wrote the ToRReZ administrator, known as MrBlonde, on the site’s main page. This message was posted on December 17, and since then, the administrators have disabled new account registrations and the posting of new listings. The ToRReZ servers are expected to be shut down in 2-3 weeks, giving users time to withdraw funds, complete transactions, and resolve any complaints or disputes.

The ToRReZ operators emphasized that the closure was their own decision and hinted that they might launch a new marketplace in the future.

Other Recent Voluntary Closures

Earlier this year, another major marketplace, White House Market, also closed voluntarily. Additionally, the less popular site Cannazon shut down, although in that case, the administrators cited ongoing DDoS attacks as a major issue.