The takedown is the result of a collaborative investigation with Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the United States that began towards the end of 2022, the Politie said.

"By conducting criminal investigations and prosecuting these criminals, it becomes clear that the dark web is not at all as anonymous as users may think. Due to international cooperation, the credibility and reliability of these markets have once again been severely damaged."

  • The development comes as Ukrainian authorities have arrested a 28-year-old man for allegedly operating a virtual private network (VPN) that made it possible for people from within the country to access the Russian internet (aka Runet) in violation of sanctions.
  • The service, which had more than 48 million IP addresses, is believed to have been launched by an unnamed self-taught hacker from the city of Khmelnytskyi in the aftermath of the Russo-Ukrainian war.

The access, Ukraine's Cyber Police said, was facilitated by setting up an autonomous server room in his apartment, with additional servers rented in Germany, France, the Netherlands, and Russia.

"The man advertised his service on his own Telegram channels and thematic communities, as well as on a world-famous IT resource, where he positioned himself as a project developer and found like-minded people," the agency said.

It also follows the sentencing of two individuals affiliated with a Russian threat group called Armageddon (aka Gamaredon) to 15 years in prison in absentia for carrying out cyber attacks against government entities in the country, per the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).

Their identities were not disclosed. However, it's possible they are Sklianko Oleksandr Mykolaiovych and Chernykh Mykola Serhiiovyc, who were previously sanctioned by the European Council.


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Dark Web Informer X Post: https://x.com/DarkWebInformer/status/1844024347302023204

Dread Thread: http://dreadytofatroptsdj6io7l3xptbet6onoyno2yv7jicoxknyazubrad[.]onion/post/7c5f2c629d942d10d7b1

Dread (LEA PGP Signing): http://dreadytofatroptsdj6io7l3xptbet6onoyno2yv7jicoxknyazubrad[.]onion/post/8292266048c094ef1a02

News: https://www.dutchnews[.]nl/2024/10/british-man-20-appears-in-court-in-rotterdam-in-dark-web-probe/

News: https://www.politie[.]nl/nieuws/2024/oktober/8/11-internationale-actie-tegen-werelds-grootste-darkweb-markt-bohemia-cannabia.html

The LEA signed PGP message is authentic and signed by the Dutch National Police