At the end of March 2019, it became known about the mass detentions of criminals who conducted their illegal activities on the shadow Internet.
According to the portal ComputerWeekly with reference to the statement of Europol, as part of a joint operation called SaboTor, law enforcement agencies in different countries, including the United States, Canada and Europe, made 61 arrests and closed 50 web services used to conduct illegal business.
The police raided the shady Internet. 61 arrests and 50 closed services at a time
Having received 65 search warrants, the police seized a total of 300 kg of drugs, 51 firearms and more than 6.2 million euros of illegally earned money, including 4 million euros in cryptocurrency, 2 million euros in cash and about 35 thousand euros in gold). In addition, 122 people were interrogated during Operation SaboTor.
Simultaneously with the information about mass detentions and searches, the administration of the largest underground trading platform Dream Market announced the termination of its activities. According to the message on the main page of the site, the closure is scheduled for April 30, 2019, and management of all operations will be transferred to the “partner company”.
A variety of theories are spreading on social networks, up to the assumption that the trading platform is already controlled by law enforcement agencies, and it is unsafe to enter the Dream Market (and the new site, whose opening is expected later).
Europol says that the shadow Internet provides a safe environment for personal privacy and freedom of action, but it also remains a “fertile environment” for criminals and various illegal activities.
The executive director of Europol, Catherine De Bolle, says that the darknet is not as hidden an environment as many people think.[7]