DarkMarket, One of the Largest Darknet Marketplaces, Shut Down

Law enforcement officials in the German cities of Koblenz and Oldenburg have announced the takedown of what is believed to be the largest illegal marketplace on the darknet, known as DarkMarket. Police also arrested a 34-year-old Australian citizen who is suspected of operating the platform.

According to authorities, the site was used to sell illegal substances, counterfeit money, stolen credit card data, anonymous SIM cards, and malware. The underground market had around half a million users, with total earnings reaching $170 million. At the time of its closure, more than 2,400 vendors were actively using DarkMarket’s services.

Background and Previous Actions

The shutdown of DarkMarket is not the first action taken by German authorities against the underground market. In 2019, the State Central Office for Combating Cybercrime (Die Landeszentralstelle Cybercrime) of the Koblenz General Prosecutor’s Office (Generalstaatsanwaltschaft Koblenz) dismantled a major hosting network after years of investigation. This network supported four darknet marketplaces offering various illegal goods.

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