December 4, 2024 at 10:36AM
German authorities have shut down the Crimenetwork platform again, arresting a 29-year-old suspected admin and seizing about €1 million in cryptocurrency. Launched in 2012, the platform facilitated illegal sales, amassing more than €90 million in transactions. Law enforcement aims to enhance data-sharing efforts for future investigations.
### Meeting Takeaways:
1. **Crimenetwork Shut Down**: German authorities have shut down the Crimenetwork platform again and arrested a suspected administrator.
2. **Arrest Details**: A 29-year-old man was arrested by the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) and charged with being the technical admin of Crimenetwork and involved in large-scale drug dealing.
3. **Seizures**: Authorities seized around €1 million ($1.05 million) in cryptocurrency during the arrest.
4. **Platform History & Operations**:
– Crimenetwork was operational since 2012 and primarily accessed through the clear web.
– It facilitated illegal transactions, attracting over 100,000 users, mainly German speakers.
– Types of illegal goods traded included narcotics, weapons, stolen data, and forged documents.
– In total, the platform enabled sales over €90 million ($94.5 million) between 2018 and 2024.
5. **Admin Revenue Model**: Site admins earned a percentage of each sale (estimated at 1-5%) and received monthly fees from sellers for listing their products.
6. **Law Enforcement Strategy**:
– The BKA has created a retro-style video, hinting at the collection of detailed site data including user communications and transactions.
– This operation follows a significant 2017 investigation that involved 1,000 officers and led to the identification of 153 suspects across numerous raids.
7. **Previous Operations**:
– The BKA conducted extensive operations in 2020, resulting in 32 arrests and identifying links to previous criminal activities after Crimenetwork’s resurgence.
8. **Data Sharing Initiative**: The earlier investigations support the implementation of a cross-border data-sharing portal by Europol to enhance law enforcement collaboration.
9. **Future Implications**: Increased scrutiny and coordinated efforts are expected to disrupt similar platforms and their operations going forward.