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Operation SpecTor Leads to Another Disrupted Dark Market and 288 Individuals Taken into Custody
On May 3, Europol declared the completion of Operation SpecTor, which involved multiple jurisdictions and recently dismantled Monopoly Market, another dark web marketplace that emerged following the closure of earlier platforms.
Numerous Arrests and Seizures
A press release issued early this morning revealed that Europol collaborated with authorities from the U.S., Austria, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Brazil, Switzerland, and the U.K. to untangle the connections revealed by the 2021 closure of Monopoly Market.
The operation produced results akin to those achieved in the takedown of Hansa, where Dutch authorities successfully commandeered the platform and permitted its operation for several months to maximize the scope of their investigation.
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Additionally, some of those apprehended have been identified as users of other dark web markets, suggesting potential forthcoming law enforcement actions against similar sites.
In total, authorities seized 117 firearms, 850 kg of drugs, and cash and cryptocurrency valued at 50 million euros across all jurisdictions.
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Authorities Anticipate Further Outcomes
The operation led to the arrest of 288 individuals involved in the trade of illegal goods, with the vast majority located in the United States (155). Law enforcement in the U.K. and Germany detained 55 and 52 individuals, respectively, with additional arrests occurring in the Netherlands, Austria, France, Switzerland, and Poland.
“Our coalition of law enforcement authorities across three continents demonstrates that we are more effective when we collaborate. This operation conveys a powerful message to criminals operating on the dark web: international law enforcement possesses the capability and resources to identify and hold you accountable for your illicit actions, even in the dark web.”
These outcomes reflect improved efficiency in cross-jurisdictional cooperation. Operation SpecTor resulted in a higher number of arrests than either of its predecessors, DisrupTor, which led to 179 arrests in 2020, and Dark HunTor, which occurred in 2021 and resulted in 150 arrests.
As reported by CNBC, the significant number of arrests and seizures can be attributed in part to the recent dismantling of Genesis and Hydra Market, which reportedly revealed the true identities of some users active on Monopoly Market.
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