An international law enforcement effort has successfully taken down one of the world’s largest and longest-running criminal marketplaces on the darknet, known as “Archetyp Market.” This operation involved the collaboration of authorities from Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Romania, resulting in the arrest of a 30-year-old German citizen in Barcelona, Spain, who is suspected to be the operator of the illegal platform.
The Frankfurt Public Prosecutor’s Office, Germany’s Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), the Spanish National Police, the Dutch National Police, and other partners worked together to dismantle Archetyp Market, which facilitated the trafficking of a variety of drugs such as amphetamine, cannabis, fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine. The marketplace was estimated to have generated over €250 million ($267 million) in sales, with thousands of active listings, customer accounts, and registered vendors.
The transactions on Archetyp Market were conducted using Monero (XMR), a privacy-focused cryptocurrency commonly used in darknet trades. During the raid, authorities seized a significant amount of assets, including eight mobile phones, four computers, 34 storage devices, and approximately €7.8 million ($8.3 million) in illicit proceeds. Additionally, the Dutch National Police disabled the marketplace’s server infrastructure located in the Netherlands, effectively shutting down the platform worldwide.
In a coordinated effort, law enforcement conducted further raids in Germany and Sweden, targeting moderators and vendors associated with Archetyp Market. A total of 47 smartphones, 45 computers and notebooks, narcotics, and additional illicit proceeds connected to the marketplace were seized during these operations. The data collected during these raids is expected to provide valuable leads for ongoing investigations.
The main suspect is facing charges related to operating a large-scale narcotics trafficking ring under German law, which could result in severe penalties if convicted. The shutdown of Archetyp Market represents a significant victory in the fight against cybercrime, as authorities continue to work towards dismantling darknet infrastructure and disrupting digital money laundering networks on a global scale.