The “world's largest" darknet market with criminal sales totalling 140 million euros ($170m) has been taken down by a German-led operation that stretched as far as the US and Australia.
DarkMarket, with nearly 500,000 users and more than 2,400 sellers, was a space in which criminals could sell drugs, stolen credit card data and computer malware, prosecutors in Germany said on Tuesday.
Police arrested the man believed to be behind the operation, an Australian national aged 34.
Police in Oldenburg, northern Germany, "were able to arrest the alleged operator of the suspected world's largest illegal marketplace on the darknet, the DarkMarket", prosecutors said.
"Investigators were able to shut down the marketplace and turn off the server on Monday," they said, calling it the culmination of a months-long international operation.
At least 320,000 transactions were carried out via DarkMarket, with more than 17,450 bitcoin and 12,800 monero – two common cryptocurrencies – changing hands, prosecutors said. At current exchange rates, that represented turnover of 140 million euros.
The Australian believed to be the DarkMarket operator was arrested near the German-Danish border, as more than 20 servers used by the site in Moldova and Ukraine were seized.
"Investigators expect to use the data saved there to launch new probes against the moderators, sellers and buyers of the marketplace," prosecutors said.
The American FBI and police from Australia, Britain, Denmark, Switzerland, Ukraine and Moldova took part in the investigation.
German prosecutors said DarkMarket came to light while investigating the Dutch web-hosting service Cyberbunker, which is suspected of being a haven for cybercrime and spam. German authorities said Cyberbunker hosted DarkMarket for an unspecified time.
The darknet includes websites that can be accessed only with specific software or authorisations, ensuring anonymity for users.
The arrested man appeared before a judge and was placed in pre-trial detention.
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
Bullet%20Train
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20David%20Leitch%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Brad%20Pitt%2C%20Aaron%20Taylor-Johnson%2C%20Brian%20Tyree%20Henry%2C%20Sandra%20Bullock%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Star%20Wars%3A%20Episode%20I%20%E2%80%93%20The%20Phantom%20Menace
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDeveloper%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Big%20Ape%20Productions%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20LucasArts%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EConsoles%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20PC%2C%20PlayStation%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
If you go
The flights
Etihad (etihad.com) flies from Abu Dhabi to Luang Prabang via Bangkok, with a return flight from Chiang Rai via Bangkok for about Dh3,000, including taxes. Emirates and Thai Airways cover the same route, also via Bangkok in both directions, from about Dh2,700.
The cruise
The Gypsy by Mekong Kingdoms has two cruising options: a three-night, four-day trip upstream cruise or a two-night, three-day downstream journey, from US$5,940 (Dh21,814), including meals, selected drinks, excursions and transfers.
The hotels
Accommodation is available in Luang Prabang at the Avani, from $290 (Dh1,065) per night, and at Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp and Resort from $1,080 (Dh3,967) per night, including meals, an activity and transfers.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
ALRAWABI%20SCHOOL%20FOR%20GIRLS
%3Cp%3ECreator%3A%20Tima%20Shomali%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%C2%A0Tara%20Abboud%2C%C2%A0Kira%20Yaghnam%2C%20Tara%20Atalla%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
more from Janine di Giovanni
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More from Armen Sarkissian
