Hundreds arrested in global crackdown on dark web drug trafficking

( Breitbart )

American and international authorities said Thursday that they have arrested hundreds of alleged drug traffickers in a major global crackdown on criminal enterprises that use so-called dark web markets to sell drugs, weapons and other illicit goods.

Operation TorNado, coordinated by Europol and conducted across the United States, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, resulted in the arrest of 354 alleged dark web drug traffickers and other suspects, the U.S. Justice Department said in a statement.

Of those arrested, 132 were apprehended in the United States, 59 in Britain, 45 in Hungary, 41 in Germany, 23 in France and 13 in New Zealand, 12 in the Netherlands, 11 in Slovenia, six in Austria, five in Ireland, four in Czechia, two in Australia and one in, according to the Justice Deaprtment.

The operation also seized 5.7 metric tons of drugs, $234 million in cash and cryptocurrencies and 209 firearms.

According to FBI Director Kash Patel, TorNado was the largest interagency takedown of dark web drug vendors and buyers to date.

“The success of the Operation TorNado makes clear that criminals cannot hide behind technology or geography — no matter where you operate, justice will find you,” he said in a statement.

TorNado is the sixth major enforcement action operation of the Joint Criminal Opioid and Darknet Enforcement team, which was created in 2018, and follows last year’s Operation RapTor, which involved the arrests of 270 people, more than 2 metric tons of drugs seized and the confiscation of more than $200 million in cash and digital assets.

Europol said Operation TorNado focused on the identification of suspects following the takedown of five major dark marketplaces through JCODE’s previous operations. It also targeted vendors and buyers on forums, single-vendor shops and encrypted messaging services.

Law enforcement agencies in 14 countries collaborated in the operation.

“The anonymity you believe protects you is not a shield,” FBI Deputy Director Christopher Raia said at a press conference, according to an FBI statement.

“We have demonstrated time and time again that even as technology evolves, our law enforcement capabilities evolve even more.”