Global Darknet Crackdown: Authorities Seize $200 Million in Crypto and Cash

An international law enforcement operation called Operation RapTor has led to the arrest of 270 individuals across 10 countries and the seizure of over $200 million in cash and cryptocurrencies. It marks the largest enforcement action to date under the U.S. Justice Department’s J-CODE initiative, targeting criminal groups operating through the darknet.

🔹 Global Drug Network Dismantled Led by U.S. authorities in cooperation with Europol and international agencies, the operation targeted illegal marketplaces and drug networks in Austria, Brazil, France, Germany, the Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, the UK, and the USA. Seized in the raids:

🔹 Over two metric tons of drugs

🔹 144 kilograms of fentanyl-laced substances

🔹 180 firearms

🔹 Cryptocurrencies worth hundreds of millions of dollars “This historic seizure of weapons, lethal drugs, and illicit funds will save lives,” said U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. “Criminals can no longer hide behind screens or seek refuge on the dark web.”

🔹 Cryptocurrencies and Stablecoins Fueling Illicit Trade Authorities are increasingly concerned about the use of cryptocurrencies and stablecoins — particularly USDT — in global drug trade and money laundering. 🔹 A report by Chainalysis revealed that at least $5.5 million in stablecoins was sent by money mules to Chinese suppliers of fentanyl precursors.

🔹 According to TRM Labs, 97% of surveyed Chinese chemical suppliers accept crypto payments, showing that stablecoins have become essential infrastructure for trafficking networks. These blockchain patterns mirror the behavior of individuals already prosecuted under Operation RapTor.

🔹 Key Figures and Markets Busted The operation also brought down several high-profile darknet actors: 🔹 Behrouz Parsarad, an Iranian national, was indicted in Ohio and sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury’s OFAC. He operated Nemesis Market, a darknet platform for selling opioids and hiding profits in crypto wallets.

🔹 Rui-Siang Lin, operator of Incognito Market, one of the largest online drug markets, pleaded guilty in December to drug trafficking, money laundering, and selling misbranded drugs.

🔹 Telegram Closes Down $27 Billion Black Market This week, Telegram shut down Haowang Guarantee, described by blockchain firm Elliptic as the most active crypto-powered black market ever seen online. The platform traded: 🔹 Laundered USDT

🔹 Fake identification documents

🔹 Tools for industrial-scale online scams It served as a hub for what Elliptic called a “cyber slavery-based scam economy”, often exploiting victims trapped in fraudulent digital networks.

🔹 Cryptocurrencies Under Growing Scrutiny Also this week, in California, Pedro Inzunza Noriega and his son Pedro Inzunza Coronel were indicted for fentanyl trafficking and crypto-based money laundering. They are allegedly linked to a faction of the notorious Sinaloa Cartel and laundered profits via Chinese crypto brokers.

Conclusion Operation RapTor shows that while cryptocurrencies enable financial innovation, they also facilitate global organized crime. Although blockchain provides transparency, its tools are being abused at scale. This global enforcement sends a clear message: the digital asset space is not beyond the reach of the law.

#CryptoNewss , #CyberSecurity , #CryptoCrime , #StaySafe , #darknet

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