Operation RapTor: 270 Arrested in Global Crackdown on Dark Web Vendors

In one of the largest global law enforcement actions against dark web crime to date, authorities from ten countries have arrested 270 individuals involved in drug trafficking, weapons sales, and the distribution of counterfeit goods online. The operation has been dubbed Operation RapTor.

Coordinated by Europol and the U.S. Department of Justice’s JCODE task force, the operation followed months of intelligence gathering after the takedowns of several dark web marketplaces: Nemesis, Incognito, Tor2Door, Bohemia, and Kingdom Market. These takedowns gave investigators access to key infrastructure and transaction data, which they used to identify vendors and buyers across the globe.

The arrests span the United States (130), Germany (42), the United Kingdom (37), France (29), South Korea (19) and several other nations. Authorities also confiscated over €184 million ($200 million) in cash and cryptocurrency, more than 2 metric tons of drugs, 144 kilograms of fentanyl, over 180 firearms, and thousands of counterfeit and illicit products.

According to Europol and the DOJ, the scope of the operation reflects the evolving nature of cybercrime, where illegal activity often mirrors legitimate e-commerce in form but thrives in secrecy and deception. Many of those arrested had conducted thousands of sales, using crypto and encryption tools to evade detection.

“This historic international seizure of firearms, deadly drugs, and illegal funds will save lives,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi. “Criminals cannot hide behind computer screens or seek refuge on the dark web.”

The operation also marks a major step forward in dismantling supply chains responsible for fentanyl-laced pills, a growing threat in the opioid crisis. Several US-based vendors convicted as part of related investigations were directly linked to fatal overdoses, including a trafficking ring that distributed over 120,000 fentanyl-laced pills nationwide.

A notable element of Operation RapTor is its focus not just on sellers but also on the marketplace infrastructure itself. The seizure of Nemesis Market, in particular, played a pivotal role. The market’s alleged operator, Behrouz Parsarad, an Iranian national, was sanctioned and indicted on drug trafficking charges.

The IRS Criminal Investigation Division noted that crypto forensics played a central role in tracing illicit transactions. “No digital wallet can hide you from facing justice,” said DEA Acting Administrator Robert Murphy.

Law enforcement agencies are observing a shift in how dark web vendors operate. As major marketplaces go offline, criminals are increasingly turning to single-vendor shops, smaller, standalone sites that reduce exposure.

While this decentralization makes investigations more fragmented, the Operation RapTor results show that targeted surveillance and intelligence sharing can still yield high-impact outcomes.

The international partnerships powering the operation included not only Europol but also agencies from Austria, Brazil, France, Germany, the Netherlands, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, along with U.S. federal agencies like the FBI, DEA, FDA OCI, HSI, and IRS-CI.

Europol’s Head of Cybercrime Edvardas Šileris stressed that this operation is not the finish line but the launchpad for deeper investigations. “Operation RapTor shows that the dark web is not beyond the reach of law enforcement and Europol will continue working with our partners to make the internet safer for everyone,” he said in a press release.