Operation RapTor strikes hundreds of dark web vendors and buyers across four continents
A global law enforcement operation coordinated by Europol has struck a major blow to the criminal underground, with 270 arrests of dark web vendors and buyers across ten countries. Known as Operation RapTor, this international sweep has dismantled networks trafficking in drugs, weapons, and counterfeit goods, sending a clear signal to criminals hiding behind the illusion of anonymity.
The suspects were identified through coordinated investigations based on intelligence from the takedowns of the dark web marketplaces Nemesis, Tor2Door, Bohemia and Kingdom Markets. Many had conducted thousands of sales on illicit marketplaces, using encryption tools and cryptocurrencies to cover their tracks — but law enforcement closed in.
This international action follows Operation SpecTor in 2023, which led to 288 arrests. Together, these operations show the increasing ability of law enforcement to penetrate the dark web’s cloak of secrecy.
Dark web vendors unmasked
The 270 arrests took place in the following countries:
- United States of America: 130
- Germany: 42
- United Kingdom: 37
- France: 29
- South Korea: 19
- Austria: 4
- The Netherlands: 4
- Brazil: 3
- Switzerland: 1
- Spain: 1
Investigations are ongoing to trace and apprehend more individuals involved in dark web crime.
Millions seized, weapons recovered
In parallel with the arrests, officers seized:
- Over EUR 184 million in cash and cryptocurrencies
- Over 2 tonnes of drugs, including amphetamines, cocaine, ketamine, opioids and cannabis
- Over 180 firearms, along with imitation weapons, tasers and knives
- 12 500 counterfeit products
- More than 4 tonnes of illegal tobacco
These seizures represent a major disruption to the criminal supply chains that feed the dark web economy.
Europol’s role
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.
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.
Edvardas Šileris
Head of Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre
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. Europol will continue working with our partners to make the internet safer for everyone.
Magnus Brunner
European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration
This operation is proof of how criminal gangs operate today: offline and online, internationally and locally, using technology to their full advantage. To counter this, coordinated action is essential. And that is exactly the added value Europol provides. Thank you and congratulations to all the authorities involved. To stay effective in a rapidly changing world, we also need to better support our law enforcement agencies to make them future proof. And that is exactly what we aim to do with ProtectEU, our Internal Security Strategy. We also need to strengthen Europol — with more funding and with an updated mandate.
Changing tactics, same threat
Recent operations are reshaping the dark web landscape. With traditional marketplaces under increasing pressure, criminal actors are shifting to smaller, single-vendor shops — sites run by individual sellers to avoid marketplace fees and minimise exposure.
Illegal drugs remain the top commodity sold on the dark web, but 2023 also saw a surge in prescription drug trafficking and a rise in fraudulent services, including fake hitmen and bogus listings designed to scam buyers.
Despite these shifts, the message is clear: no platform is beyond the reach of coordinated, international law enforcement efforts.
This global action was made possible thanks to the close cooperation between the following authorities:
geting online networks
