In Germany, the police of Dusseldorf conducted a raid against Crimemarket, the largest German-language illegal trade platform with over 180 thousand users. Six people, including one of the site operators, were arrested during the operation.
CRIMEMARKET was known as a key hub for transactions involving prohibited substances and cybercrime services. The platform also provided guides for carrying out various criminal activities.
The investigation leading to the arrests spanned several years and involved numerous searches that helped identify the platform operators and many users.
As part of a coordinated effort, police conducted 102 simultaneous searches across Germany on February 29, 2024, with a focus on Northern Rhine-Westphalia where 3 arrests were made. An additional 3 arrests occurred in other federal states.
Authorities seized significant evidence, including mobile phones, computers, data storage devices, drugs such as marijuana and ecstasy pills, nearly 600 thousand euros, and other assets.
The operation targeted not only the Crimemarket operators but also its users. The investigation into the criminal network is ongoing.
Earlier in the week, Crimemarket reported access issues, sparking rumors of a connection to the shutdown of the ChipMixer service used for payments. However, police confirmed that the access problems were a result of law enforcement actions.
Although the main page of the site remains accessible, attempting to navigate to other pages reveals a notice of platform confiscation.
The notification indicates that police had monitored the platform for some time and took action as part of a coordinated European operation resulting in the shutdown of several sites.
It appears that authorities may have allowed cybercriminals to operate temporarily post-confiscation to gather crucial information before shutting down the platform completely.
The seizure of the Crimemarket platform marks a significant milestone in Germany’s fight against cybercrime, showcasing the importance of targeted police operations in enhancing online safety.