Operation RapTor led to the arrest of 270 dark web vendors and buyers

Law enforcement operation codenamed ‘Operation RapTor’ led to the arrest of 270 dark web vendors and buyers across 10 countries.

Police arrested 270 suspects following an international law enforcement action codenamed ‘Operation RapTor’ that targeted dark web vendors and customers from ten countries.

The Operation RapTor has dismantled networks trafficking in drugs, weapons, and counterfeit goods.

“Europol supported the action by compiling and analysing intelligence packages based on data from the three seized marketplaces. These packages were then shared with national authorities in the framework of the Joint Cybercrime Action Taskforce, hosted at Europol’s headquarters, to enable targeted investigations.” reads the report published by Europol. “This operational model, also used in 2023’s Operation SpecTor, demonstrates that the takedown of a criminal platform is not the end of the story — it is the beginning of follow-up investigations aimed at identifying and arresting high-value vendors.”

The police identified 270 suspects through intelligence from dark web market takedowns, including Nemesis, Bohemia, Kingdom Markets, and Tor2Door. The suspects made thousands of illicit sales using encryption and crypto. The arrests follow 2023’s Operation SpecTor, showing law enforcement’s growing success in exposing dark web activities.

Most of the arrested individuals are in the U.S., Germany, and the U.K., targeting dark web vendors. Authorities seized over €184M in cash and crypto, 2+ tonnes of drugs, 180+ firearms, 12,500 counterfeit items, and 4+ tonnes of illegal tobacco, striking a major blow to dark web criminal networks. Investigations are still ongoing.

“Operation RapTor shows that the dark web is not beyond the reach of law enforcement. Through close cooperation and intelligence sharing, officers across four continents identified and arrested suspects, sending a clear message to those who think they can hide in the shadows.” said Edvardas Šileris, Head of Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre. “Europol will continue working with our partners to make the internet safer for everyone.”

Dark web criminals are moving to single-vendor shops as major marketplaces face law enforcement pressure. Drug sales still dominate, with rising prescription drug and scam listings. Despite shifts, global law enforcement continues to penetrate all platforms.

Follow me on Twitter: @securityaffairs and Facebook and Mastodon

Pierluigi Paganini

(SecurityAffairs – hacking, Operation RapTor)