Dutch police reveal darkweb probe behind $8.7M crypto seizure

Dutch police have revealed that they conducted a long-term investigation into the “largest and longest running international darkweb market of all time worldwide” that resulted in the arrests of two of the operation’s admins and the seizure of €8 million ($8.7 million) in crypto.

The marketplace, which was made up of two entities, Bohemia and Cannabia, offered users the ability to buy malware and DDoS attacks, and a drugs market that sold predominantly cannabis. According to Dutch authorities, “Never before has a darkweb market of this size been discovered by the police.”

Police say the marketplace had an advertising outreach of 82,000 ads per day, facilitated 67,000 transactions per month, and made €12 million ($13.1 million) in September 2023 alone.  

The investigation began in 2022 and the marketplace collapsed in late 2023 after it performed an ‘exit scam.’ According to Bleeping Computer, various service disruptions and a feud with a “rogue developer” contributed to its collapse.

Ireland grows its crypto stash with seized dark web bitcoin

Read more: Darkweb drugs site Incognito Market threatens to out users who paid in crypto

One of the admins, a 20-year-old from the UK, was arrested at Schiphol airport on June 27, and his electronic devices along with bitcoin access keys were seized.

The other, a 23-year-old Irish man, was arrested by Irish authorities last August. Collectively, the pair made €5 million ($5.46 million) running the site. 

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