The world's largest online drug supermarket collapses: leader arrested in Barcelona

BarcelonaDrugs can be obtained in many different ways, and one of the methods that has been on the rise in recent years is online purchasing. From now on, this will be even more difficult: law enforcement authorities in six countries, coordinated by Europol, have closed Archetyp Market, A platform located on the dark web and considered one of the largest online drug markets in the world. We're talking about 600,000 users worldwide with a total transaction volume of at least €250 million. With a single click, one could buy cocaine, MDMA, amphetamines, or opioids, but also, more recently, fentanyl, one of the most dangerous drugs today. And the leader of this global network was arrested in Barcelona.

He was a young German citizen, aged 30, who the National Police arrested in the Catalan capital last week. In fact, the investigation, which Europol made public in a statement, was led by the German prosecutor's office, but police forces from the Netherlands, Romania, Sweden, and the United States also participated. "Law enforcement has eliminated one of the oldest drug markets in the dark web"They have cut off a major supply line for some of the world's most dangerous substances. By dismantling their infrastructure and arresting their key players, we are sending a clear message: there is no safe haven for those who profit from harm," said Europol Deputy Executive Director for Operations, Jean-Philippe Lecouffe.

Up to 300 officers were deployed between June 11 and 13 to arrest eight people, including the leader of the criminal group and the drug suppliers. The platform hosting this website was located in the Netherlands and was also taken offline. It had more than 17,000 listings across the country. dark web that allowed direct market access. And those responsible obtained high profits in return: economic assets worth 7.8 million euros have been seized. Now, on this dark web domain, there is a warning from the authorities: "The domain has been seized," with the logos of all the police forces involved in the activity.

Investigation

Between June 11 and 13, a series of coordinated actions were carried out in Germany, the Netherlands, Romania, Spain, and Sweden, targeting the platform's administrator, moderators, key suppliers, and technical infrastructure. Approximately 300 officers were deployed to carry out enforcement actions and secure critical evidence. According to Europol, the website's takedown comes after years of intensive investigative work to map the platform's technical architecture and identify the individuals behind it. By tracing financial flows and analyzing digital forensic evidence, authorities were able to deliver a "decisive blow to one of the most prolific drug markets in the world." dark web".