The German prosecutor’s office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (BKA) on Tuesday seized the server infrastructure of the largest illegal internet market in the “dark internet” (global network), which is equivalent to its closure. Agents also seized 543 bitcoins worth about 23 million euros and attributed them to this illegal market, which operated under the name “Hydra Market”.
The investigation launched by the Central Office for Combating Cybercrime (ZIT) of the Frankfurt Public Prosecutor’s Office is directed against the platform operators and administrators, unknown at this time. They are suspected of exploiting criminal internet platforms, creating or facilitating the unauthorized purchase or delivery of drugs, and money laundering, all for commercial purposes.
The removal today was preceded by a painless investigation by BKA and ZIT from August 2021 onwards involving various US agencies.
Hydra Market was a Russian-language platform that has been available on the Dark Internet through the Tor network since at least 2015. The platform was mainly used for illicit drug trafficking and also offered illegally obtained data, falsified documents and digital services for profit. The market had about 17 million registered user accounts and more than 19,000 sellers.
According to BKA and ZIT, Hydra Market was probably the most illegal market in the world. Thus, in 2020 alone, the platform’s sales volume was at least € 1.230 million.
The Bitcoin Band Mixer, a service provided by the platform to disguise digital transactions, greatly hinders the investigation when it comes to the use of cryptocurrencies, the BKA said in a statement.
Source: El Diario
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
