International Law Enforcement Operation Successfully Dismantles Dark Web Crime Marketplace "Archetyp Market"

On June 18, CryptoSlate reported that an international enforcement operation successfully dismantled one of the world’s largest dark web crime marketplaces, Archetyp Market, which is estimated to generate more than €250 million ($267 million) in sales and relies entirely on the privacy cryptocurrency Monero (XMR) for transactions. The operation was coordinated by a number of law enforcement agencies, including the Public Prosecutor’s Office in Frankfurt, Germany, the German Federal Criminal Police, the Spanish National Police and the Dutch National Police. On June 11, the Spanish police tactical unit captured the 30-year-old German main offender in Barcelona, and the police seized eight mobile phones, four computers, 34 storage devices, and assets worth about 7.8 million euros ($8.3 million). Germany and Sweden have also taken further concerted action against suppliers linked to the market and have arrested seven suspects in Sweden. The main suspect will face charges of operating a large-scale drug trafficking network under German law.