March 4, 2024 at 09:48AM
German authorities announced the takedown of the cybercrime marketplace ‘Crimemarket’, arresting six people. Described as the biggest illegal German-speaking online platform, it facilitated trade in narcotics, weapons, cybercrime tools, and illegal services. Law enforcement seized the domain, executing 102 search warrants. Evidence seized included mobile phones, IT equipment, narcotics, and approximately €600,000 in cash and assets. The investigation expands beyond Crimemarket’s administrators to include its traders and users.
The meeting notes highlight the recent takedown of the cybercrime marketplace ‘Crimemarket’ in Germany, resulting in the arrest of six individuals associated with its operations. The marketplace was described as the “biggest illegal, German-speaking online trading platform,” allowing for the trade of narcotics, weapons, cybercrime tools, and illicit services such as money laundering. With approximately 180,000 registered users, the marketplace was available on both the dark web and the surface web before law enforcement seized its domain.
The investigation into Crimemarket and its operators has been ongoing for several years, concluding with the execution of 102 search warrants, predominantly in the North Rhine-Westphalia region. The police arrested three individuals in North Rhine-Westphalia, including a 23-year-old believed to be the mastermind behind Crimemarket, and three others in different regions. Evidence such as mobile phones, IT equipment, narcotics, and approximately €600,000 in cash and movable assets was seized during the searches.
The German police are now analyzing the seized evidence and data, with the investigation extending beyond Crimemarket’s administrators to include its traders and users. To gather further information, the police have kept Crimemarket’s surface web landing page accessible, urging visitors to log in. Notably, this takedown follows the recent seizure of servers supporting Kingdom Market in Germany, which was another platform for narcotics, malware, fake documents, and criminal services.
These developments reflect the concerted effort by law enforcement to dismantle cybercrime marketplaces and hold their operators and users accountable.
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