The court of Trier has sentenced the operators of a huge illegal drug marketplace on the Internet to long prison terms. The court found the husband of an Australian couple guilty of armed importation of narcotics and sentenced him to nine years, the court said on Friday. He was also convicted of complicity in drug trafficking on 1,498 counts. He also has to go to a rehabilitation center.
The court also sentenced his wife to five and a half years in prison for 1,498 counts of armed importation of narcotics and complicity in drug trafficking. In addition, it collected the proceeds of the crime for an amount of more than 2.7 million euros. The court saw it as proven that both had operated the Darkmarket trading center together with other perpetrators.
500,000 users
The man was the administrator of the platform, his wife was responsible for the design and resolution of disputes between sellers and customers. In addition, the two brought drugs from Denmark to Germany. At the time of its closure in January 2021, Darkmarket was one of the world’s largest illegal marketplaces with approximately 500,000 users and over 2,400 sellers. In total, no fewer than 320,000 transactions were processed.
The payment was made with cryptocurrencies
Payment was made with various cryptocurrencies. At the time the dark market was closed, their value corresponded to an amount of more than 140 million euros. According to the verdict, the couple took a commission for the trading activities. Both were arrested in January 2021 – first the husband, who had traveled to Germany from Denmark, and a few weeks later his wife. The trial against both started in December 2021, but had to start all over again in April due to illness.
The detectives tracked down the two Australians through the so-called cyber bunker case. This bunker was a data center operated in a former NATO bunker in Traben-Trarbach, Rhineland-Palatinate. The infrastructure for criminal activities was made available there and Darkmarket also temporarily used a server there. In December 2021, eight defendants in the cyberbunker case in Trier were sentenced to several years in prison. The Attorney General Koblenz appealed.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
