Police have busted two prolific dark web drug markets in a global sting, seizing six-figure amounts of Bitcoin BTC<\/a> and Monero cryptocurrency, as well as loads of narcotics.<\/p>\n \u201c[The Wall Street Market] was the world\u2019s second largest dark web market, enabling the trade in drugs (including cocaine, heroin, cannabis and amphetamines), stolen data, fake documents and malicious software,\u201d said Europol<\/a>. \u201cThe illegal platform was exclusively accessible via the Tor network in the so-called Darknet and aimed at international trade in criminal goods.\u201d<\/p>\n Over \u20ac550,000 ($613,600) in cash, six-figure sums of cryptocurrency, vehicles, as well as computers and related data storage devices were seized.<\/p>\n Drug sellers reportedly placed more than 63,000 offers on the Wall Street Market, which investigators noted had over 1,150,000 registered accounts.<\/p>\n Bitcoin and privacy-focused cryptocurrency Monero<\/a> were reportedly preferred payment methods. Alleged marketplace officials were said to receive 2-to-6 percent sales commissions.<\/p>\n Authorities arrested three suspects in Germany with connection to the site.\u00a0Two of its highest-selling narcotic suppliers were also caught in the US.<\/p>\n Finland\u2019s feds disrupted the other marketplace, Silkkietie (also known as the Valhalla Marketplace) earlier this year. They labelled it one of the oldest and internationally best-known Tor trade portals. It had been online since 2013.<\/p>\n Investigators followed Silkkietie\u2019s drug-traders to other illegal sites hosted by Tor (like the Wall Street Market), which led to their arrest. Finnish customs reportedly made a \u201csignificant Bitcoin seizure\u201d in the process, as well as Silkkitie\u2019s inventory.<\/p>\n The\u00a0operation was supported by the Dutch, Finnish, and French national police. Several US government agencies were also involved, including the FBI, DEA, IRS, the Department of Justice, and even the postal inspections service.<\/p>\n \u201cThese two investigations show the importance of law enforcement cooperation at an international level and demonstrate that illegal activity on the dark web is not as anonymous as criminals may think,\u201d said Europol executive director\u00a0Catherine De Bolle.<\/p>\n This isn\u2019t the first time Dutch police have been involved in cracking illegal online trade. In 2017, TNW reported<\/a> they had secretly operated the dark web\u2019s then-second largest drug market, Hansa, for at least a month.<\/p>\n At least 10,000 addresses of Hansa buyers were forwarded to Europol as a result. Over 1,000 BTC (worth more than $2 million at the time) was also seized and transferred to the Dutch public prosecution office.<\/p>\n Did you know? Hard Fork has its own stage at\u00a0TNW2019<\/a>, our tech conference in Amsterdam.\u00a0Check it out<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \n Published May 3, 2019 \u2014 13:21 UTC\n <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cdn0.tnwcdn.com\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/1\/files\/2019\/05\/wsm-splash-page_0.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/p>\nSilkkietie\u2019s demise led to Valhalla\u2019s rise<\/h2>\n