Operation RapTor was a global, coordinated effort by law enforcement in the United States, Europe, South America, and Asia to disrupt fentanyl and opioid trafficking, as well as the sales of other illicit goods and services, on the darknet, or dark web. Operation RapTor builds on the successes of prior years’ operations and takedowns of marketplaces, which resulted in the seizure of darknet infrastructure from Nemesis, Tor2Door, Bohemia, and Kingdom Markets, providing investigators across the world with investigative leads and evidence. JCODE and Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre (EC3) continue to compile intelligence packages to identify entities of interest.
I have had years of experience in these areas and my talent is streamlining to simple steps and shortcuts to get the job done. Explore a wide variety of fresh, locally-grown produce, artisanal goods, and handcrafted items from local vendors while enjoying live entertainment in Cathedral Square. We’re proud to support our community with a selection of vendors who accept SNAP benefits, making fresh, healthy options accessible to all. The development comes days after another coordinated law enforcement effort saw the dismantling of the BlackCat ransomware’s dark web infrastructure, prompting the group to respond to the seizure of its data leak site by wresting control of the page, claiming they had “unseized” it. Kingdom Market charged vendors 500 Euros to start selling, then charged fees on sales.
About Osaka Marketplace
IRS Criminal Investigation, the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, the Bureau of Diplomatic Security and the Missouri Department of Revenue investigated the case. The drug trafficking conspiracy charge carries a penalty of at least five years in prison, with a maximum of 40, a fine of up to $5 million, or both. The identity theft conspiracy charge carries a penalty of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. The misuse of a passport charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both.
- The platform facilitated the sale of over 42,000 products through hundreds of seller accounts, with 3,600 traced back to Germany.
- Following the seizure, competing dark web market operators swiftly seized the opportunity to invite sellers orphaned by the Kingdom Market’s closure to join their platforms.
- “While we should applaud this cross-border and multi agency operation, the modern-day disruption of cybercrime’s infrastructure and even arrests of some identifiable cyber gang’s members is rarely sufficient,” ImmuniWeb SA’s chief executive officer Dr. Ilia Kolochenko said in an interview with SiliconANGLE.
- The crackdown on Kingdom Market follows a recent coordinated effort that dismantled the dark web infrastructure of the BlackCat ransomware group.
- In furtherance of Operation RapTor and in its first action as a JCODE member agency, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) additionally sanctioned Iranian national Behrouz Parsarad for his role as the founder and operator of Nemesis Market following seizure of the market.
Inactive Markets
German authorities and law enforcement from the US, Ukraine, Moldova and Switzerland have seized the infamous Kingdom Market cybercrime marketplace in a joint operation. According to a report by The Hacker News, transactions on Kingdom Market were executed through cryptocurrency payments, utilizing Bitcoin, Litecoin, Monero, and Zcash. Notably, the website operators imposed a 3% commission on each sale, highlighting the intricate financial ecosystem supporting the platform’s criminal endeavors. The website’s operators accepted bitcoin, Litecoin, Monero and Zcash cryptocurrencies for payment. They also received a 3% commission for processing the sales of illegal goods via the platform.
German Authorities Seize Kingdom Market Dark Web Marketplace
The Kingdom Marketplace is the digital successor to the historic entrepreneurial economic hub Progress Plaza — where community commerce thrived. You will be able to manage your store settings, products, policies for shipping and returns, and customer orders. 4 to 14 days and you can extend the time for up to 14 days if there are issues with your order. Your funds are safe as wallets are valid for 7 days, but after that time your deposit will be considered invalid and all funds will be PERMANENTLY LOST. In the “wallet” handout on Kingdom shop there is a wallet assigned to your user profile.
Kingdom Market Shut Down
The expert continued that the underground trades and sales continue as if nothing happened. As a result, Kolochenko cautioned the authorities to be vigilant and resume their investigation with other authorities. German authorities, in collaboration with the law enforcers, U.S., Swiss, Moldovan, and Ukrainian authorities, successfully dismantled the notorious dark web platform, Kingdom Market. “This year will be the best Pumpkins at Kentucky Kingdom we’ve ever produced, with expanded operating days and even more themed activities – there’s something for every member of the family to enjoy, and I can’t wait for our guests to experience it!
Members of the shady marketplace peddled forged documents, drugs, malware, stolen personal information, and cybercrime services. Platform users would pay in cryptocurrencies, including Zcash, Litecoin, Monero, and Bitcoin, to obfuscate their activity. The operation’s success underscores the growing precision and scope of international cybercrime investigations. It serves as a stark reminder that even in the shadowy corners of the internet, law enforcement agencies are vigilant and capable of penetrating layers of digital anonymity. Kingdom Market was an English-speaking marketplace on the dark web with international reach that has operated since March 2021. Platform members sold drugs, malware, cybercrime services, stolen personal information, and forged documents, and paid in cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Litecoin, Monero, and Zcash.
German Authorities Dismantle Dark Web Hub ‘Kingdom Market’ In Global Operation
In a press release on Wednesday, the police said they posted a takedown notice on the website and are now analyzing Kingdom Market’s server infrastructure to identify the people behind the website’s operation. Kingdom Market’s users took to Dread, the Dark Web’s version of Reddit, to voice dissatisfaction about their monetary losses after the downfall of the marketplace. As BleepingComputer reported, Dread staff spread rumors about multiple individuals with access to the marketplace server infrastructure being arrested. Kolochenko, who also teaches cybersecurity and cyber law at Capitol Technology University, added that a number of illegal marketplaces and hacking forums were shut down. McDonald recruited and hired accomplices to help package and ship the narcotics they sold on the darknet. McDonald purchased bulk quantities of fentanyl and cocaine and then directed others to complete hundreds of drug sales involving large quantities of both fentanyl and cocaine.
The Kingdom Business Owners Membership Includes:
Operation RapTor resulted in the highest number of seizures of any JCODE operation, including more than $200 million in currency and digital assets, over two metric tons of drugs, 144 kilograms of fentanyl or fentanyl-laced narcotics, and over 180 firearms. The Kingdom Market was established in March 2021, the offer of the dark web marketplace included drugs, malware, stolen data, and forged documents. Kingdom Market boasted tens of thousands of customer accounts and several hundred registered sellers, featuring a listing that comprised 42,000 items. Kingdom Market, operating since at least March 2021 on TOR and the Invisible Internet Project (I2P), thrived on illegal transactions. The platform facilitated the sale of over 42,000 products through hundreds of seller accounts, with 3,600 traced back to Germany. Its shadowy dealings included narcotics, malware, criminal services, and forged documents.
- U.S. exports of goods and services to the UK reached $157.1 billion in 2022, up 21.5 percent from 2021, ranking the UK in 5th place among export destinations for American goods and placing it in the 2nd spot for trading in services.
- Kingdom Market’s users took to Dread, the Dark Web’s version of Reddit, to voice dissatisfaction about their monetary losses after the downfall of the marketplace.
- As a result, Kolochenko cautioned the authorities to be vigilant and resume their investigation with other authorities.
- Take the time to familiarize yourself with the Kingdom seller’s rules below if you want to find one with us.
- From March 21, 2021, Kingdom Market Onion launches our journey with the aim of creating and maintaining a safe place for the best shopping on the Darknet.
German law enforcement has seized the servers of the darknet marketplace Kingdom Market, a bazaar for drugs, malware, fake documents and other tools for cybercriminals. The Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) revealed that the operators of Kingdom Market are under suspicion of commercially running a criminal trading platform. The ongoing investigation includes a thorough examination of the seized server infrastructure, aiming to uncover the full extent of the illicit activities orchestrated by the platform. From at least April 2021 until May 2023, McDonald and others conspired to sell fentanyl and cocaine via multiple darknet marketplaces. According to court documents and statements made in court, Srinivasan and Ta used the “redlightlabs” darknet account to advertise and sell counterfeit M30 oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and other illicit drugs.
German Authorities Taken Down Dark Web Marketplace Kingdom Market
This marks the second significant takedown of a darknet domain this week, following the FBI’s Tuesday seizure of the AlphV/Blackcat ransomware gang’s website. Affiliates of AlphV/Blackcat have gained access to more than 1,000 organizations and have been paid close to $300 million in ransom. Despite being taken offline, reports say other forums will replace the Kingdom Market dark web marketplace. Notably, on December 15, US law enforcement officials arrested Alan Bill, alias “Vend0r” or “KingdomOfficial,” who was suspected of being the Kingdom Market’s administrator. Most importantly, Kolochenko emphasized the need towards global convention and the formation of organized cybercrime divisions. He likened the scenario to defeating a hydra-which requires severing its head only to grow back in its place.
Several hundred seller accounts and tens of thousands of customer accounts were registered. Payment was mainly processed via cryptocurrencies Bitcoin, Litecoin, Monero and Zcash, with the operators charging a 3 per cent commission. The German Federal Criminal Police Office, with support from various international law enforcement agencies, has seized Kingdom Market, a dark web marketplace that was selling drugs, malware, stolen data and forged documents. This illicit marketplace, catering to tens of thousands of users, dealt with narcotics, malware, criminal services, and forged documents.
