darknet

The darknet marketplace Abacus Market, which launched in September 2021, has come under scrutiny due to suspicions of an exit scam amounting to around $12 million. The platform, which specialized in trading illegal goods, unexpectedly ceased operations, causing alarm among users. According to community reports, the administrators may have disappeared, embezzling the funds accumulated in escrow accounts, primarily in Bitcoin. Such incidents are not uncommon in the darknet, where exit scams have become a regular practice following the closure of well-known platforms like Silk Road or Hydra.

💣 Global Sting Takes Down 'Archetyp Market'—World’s Largest Darknet Drug Site Crumbles

In a major international crackdown, law enforcement agencies from the U.S., Germany, Spain, Netherlands, Sweden, and Romania joined forces to shut down the Archetyp Market, one of the largest and most dangerous drug marketplaces on the dark web. The platform, which used Monero ($XMR ) for anonymous payments, made over €250 million ($267M) by trafficking drugs like fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin. A 30-year-old German man suspected of running the site was arrested in Barcelona, and millions in cash, phones, and computers were seized 💻📱💰.
The Archetyp Market had more than 612,000 customers, 3,200 vendors, and 17,000 drug listings. Police raids spanned Germany, Sweden, and Romania, with a total of seven arrests and the market’s servers disabled in the Netherlands—effectively shutting the entire operation down. The evidence gathered is expected to lead to even more arrests and uncover deeper layers of this vast digital drug empire 🕵️‍♂️🚔.
This takedown sends a clear message: no matter how hidden or encrypted, illegal operations on the darknet are not beyond the reach of global law enforcement. With privacy coins like Monero under increasing scrutiny and darknet servers getting exposed, the digital underworld is quickly losing its hiding spots. Authorities hailed this operation as a huge win in the global fight against cybercrime, digital drug trafficking, and money laundering 🌐🔒⚖️.
#darknet #Monero #DarkWebCrackdown

Despite a global slowdown in cryptocurrency transactions on darknet markets, Russia’s crypto underground is thriving. According to the latest findings from blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis, cryptocurrency activity on Russian darknet platforms surged by 68%, even as global darknet sales dropped by 15% year-over-year.

Kraken Surges While Others Collapse
The report highlights that Kraken, now the largest darknet marketplace focused on Russia, has quickly risen to dominance after the takedown of the infamous Hydra marketplace in April 2022.
🔹 In 2024, Kraken handled $737 million worth of cryptocurrency, marking an increase of nearly 68% year-over-year.

🔹 In contrast, rival platform Mega — once a primary drug supplier to other darknet markets — saw its inflow fall by more than 50%.

Global Darknet Crypto Activity Declines
Globally, darknet crypto activity fell by 15% in 2024, largely due to ongoing efforts by international law enforcement and the increasing transparency of blockchain transactions.
📉 These pressures have forced many darknet operators to reconsider the tools they use — particularly a shift away from Bitcoin, which is known for its traceability.

Monero Takes the Lead on the Darknet
According to Chainalysis, many darknet platforms have now switched to using Monero (XMR) exclusively.
🔐 Monero is a privacy-focused cryptocurrency designed for maximum anonymity, making it significantly more difficult to trace transactions or identify participants. This privacy feature has made it the preferred currency for those aiming to stay off the radar of global authorities.

Summary
While global darknet markets are shrinking, Russia's scene is expanding rapidly. Kraken has taken the lead, and Bitcoin is losing ground to more private coins like Monero.
The Chainalysis report serves as a reminder that, although blockchain activity is transparent, privacy is still achievable — especially when the right technologies are used. That continues to present a major challenge for international regulators and law enforcement agencies.

#CryptoCrime , #darknet , #CyberSecurity , #Monero , #CryptoSecurity

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,,The information and views presented in this article are intended solely for educational purposes and should not be taken as investment advice in any situation. The content of these pages should not be regarded as financial, investment, or any other form of advice. We caution that investing in cryptocurrencies can be risky and may lead to financial losses.“

In a jaw-dropping move, Telegram has wiped out the largest black market in internet history, shutting down two massive crypto crime networks — Haowang Guarantee and Xinbi Guarantee. These shady marketplaces, operating right under everyone's nose on Telegram, facilitated over $35 billion in dirty crypto deals, offering everything from money laundering to stolen data and even sex trafficking services. 😱 The crackdown followed revelations from blockchain sleuths at Elliptic (Elliptic is a British blockchain analytics firm headquartered in London, with offices in New York and Singapore) and an explosive investigation by WIRED (Wired is a bi-monthly American magazine that focuses on how emerging technologies affect culture, the economy, and politics) , which exposed the true scale of these digital crime empires.
💀 Haowang Guarantee, previously known as Huione Guarantee, abruptly ceased operations on May 13, blaming Telegram for banning its groups, NFTs (Telegram usernames), and channels. Before its shutdown, Haowang had turned into a full-blown crime bazaar — dealing in crypto laundering via Tether (USDT), fake identities, deepfakes, and even torture tools used in human trafficking camps across Southeast Asia. The parent company, Huione Group, is linked to Cambodia's ruling elite and is now under fire from U.S. financial authorities for allegedly laundering over $4 billion — some of it stolen by North Korean hackers! 🚨🇰🇭💰
But the story doesn't end there. Despite the takedowns, criminals are already regrouping. Reports reveal that the masterminds behind Haowang are moving their users to a new black market called Tudou Guarantee — and Xinbi Guarantee is eyeing a shady comeback under the name “Xinbi 2.0.” These platforms aren’t giving up easily because the profits are just too big to walk away from. 🤐📲 They’re betting on Telegram not following through with more bans — or possibly hopping over to decentralized apps with fewer rules.
🔥 According to experts, this is a major blow to global cybercrime, but not the end. Think of it as a game of cat and mouse — except these mice are raking in billions. Elliptic’s Tom Robinson says it best: “This was the biggest dark-net market ever. Shutting it down is huge, but make no mistake — they’ll try to bounce back.” Whether Telegram continues to fight or criminals find a new digital hideout, one thing is clear: the war on crypto crime just hit a turning point. 💥👮‍♂️🕵️‍♀️

$TON
#Telegram #darknet #BinanceAlphaAlert

While Bitcoin remains the dominant cryptocurrency for illicit activities, Monero has carved a niche for itself as a preferred alternative for those seeking increased anonymity. Its design principles and unique features make it an attractive option for cybercriminals.
Enhanced Privacy🤐
Monero's core focus on privacy differentiates it from Bitcoin. Features such as ring signatures, stealth addresses, and confidential transactions make it significantly more challenging to trace the flow of funds. As Chainalysis, a blockchain analysis firm, has noted, "Monero is designed to be untraceable, and it largely lives up to that promise." Exactly, what crooks love to hear!Darknet Markets🚨Many darknet markets, notorious for illegal activities, have adopted Monero as a primary or exclusive payment method. This has solidified its reputation as a go-to currency for underground economies. The infamous darknet market AlphaBay, for example, exclusively used Monero for transactions. Good News is AlphaBay was shut down in a joint operation by law enforcement agencies worldwide in 2017 due to its involvement in numerous criminal activities. Ransomware Attacks⚔️ Ransomware gangs often demand payment in Monero due to the increased difficulty in tracing the ransom. This allows attackers to maintain a degree of anonymity. The WannaCry ransomware attack, which affected over 200,000 computers worldwide in 2017, demanded payment in Bitcoin and Monero.Money Laundering💸: The untraceable nature of Monero transactions makes it a potential tool for money laundering, as it can obscure the origin of funds. While exact figures are difficult to obtain, experts believe that Monero plays a role in facilitating this type of crime.
It's important to note that Monero itself is not illegal. However, its design characteristics have made it a preferred choice for those involved in illicit activities. As law enforcement continues to adapt to the evolving cryptocurrency landscape, the effectiveness of Monero as a tool for criminals may change. (NOT FINANCIAL ADVISE⚠️)
#Monero #MoneroHack #darknet

💸 Scam Market Moves Fast! Telegram Fraudsters Shift Gears After Huione Ban 🚔

Despite the recent $27 billion crackdown on Huione Guarantee — a major dark market operation on Telegram — shady vendors haven’t gone away. According to a report by blockchain analytics firm Elliptic, after Telegram banned thousands of Huione-related accounts in May 2025, these underground merchants quickly migrated to another platform called Tudou Guarantee. Ironically, Huione still owns 30% of this new marketplace, which picked up right where the old one left off. 💻🕵️‍♂️
These secret markets, run in Chinese and settled using the USDT cryptocurrency, offer a range of illicit services including stolen data, fake IDs, and money laundering. The use of escrow systems lets buyers and sellers stay anonymous while still resolving disputes. While Huione Guarantee's traffic dropped to zero, Tudou Guarantee’s user base doubled and transaction volumes matched Huione’s previous activity — proving that the ecosystem is alive and well. 📈💰
Elliptic warns that this dark web economy won’t go down without a fight. Even though Huione Guarantee was removed, dozens of other similar markets still operate across Telegram. Some even pretend to be real just to scam other scammers! The report says these fraud rings are highly adaptive, and only continuous and coordinated action will truly disrupt this shady network that thrives on USDT and encrypted messaging. 😨🔐
#Telegram #darknet $BTC

Darknet, drugs, cryptocurrency, and one man at the center: U.S. authorities have charged Behrouz Parsarad with running one of the largest illegal online marketplaces. He faces life imprisonment.

🕵️‍♂️ The Allegations: Hundreds of Thousands of Illegal Transactions
According to the indictment, Iranian citizen Behrouz Parsarad allegedly operated Nemesis, a darknet marketplace that from 2021 to 2024 facilitated the sale of drugs, illicit cyber services, and other banned goods. The platform reportedly processed over 400,000 orders, with more than 13% for stimulants like cocaine and meth, and over 4% for opioids such as fentanyl and heroin.
The U.S. Department of Justice described Nemesis as a highly damaging criminal platform that significantly contributed to global drug distribution and cybercrime.

💸 Laundering Money Through Crypto
Parsarad is also accused of providing money laundering services, including cryptocurrency mixing to obscure transaction trails. He allegedly took a commission from every sale on the Nemesis platform.

U.S. Sanctions and a Life Sentence Looming
The U.S. sanctioned Parsarad in March. Before it was shut down, Nemesis had reportedly facilitated $30 million in drug sales. Parsarad now faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison — that is, if the U.S. can ever extradite him. He currently resides in Iran, a country with no extradition treaty with the U.S.
Despite this, officials say Parsarad has discussed building a new version of Nemesis. And experts question whether he worked alone.

🧑‍💻 Why Has No One Else Been Charged?
Although Parsarad is the only one indicted, cybersecurity experts say a darknet platform of this size likely required an entire team — administrators, moderators, developers, money launderers, and more.
“As seen in past takedowns like AlphaBay and Hydra,” said TRM Labs legal expert Ari Redbord, “these platforms often operate as distributed teams that maintain trust, availability, and financial systems.”

🌐 The Darknet Lives On — and Thrives
The takedown of Nemesis doesn’t mark the end of darknet operations. According to TRM Labs, 20–30 drug-focused darknet markets are active globally at any given time.
These markets tend to fall into two main ecosystems:
🔹 Russian-language markets (e.g., Blacksprut, Kraken) — highly profitable and deeply rooted in local drug economies.

🔹 Western markets (e.g., Abacus Market, STYX) — smaller but more resilient, relying on postal shipping and operating internationally.
According to Redbord, the average lifespan of a drug darknet market is two to three years, after which it’s usually abandoned or taken down by authorities.

🧨 Even though Nemesis is gone, the darknet thrives. And as long as demand for anonymous illegal trade remains, it will continue — under new names and new leadership.

#darknet , #cybercrime , #CyberSecurity , #aml , #scam

Stay one step ahead – follow our profile and stay informed about everything important in the world of cryptocurrencies!
Notice:
,,The information and views presented in this article are intended solely for educational purposes and should not be taken as investment advice in any situation. The content of these pages should not be regarded as financial, investment, or any other form of advice. We caution that investing in cryptocurrencies can be risky and may lead to financial losses.“