A massive international law enforcement operation has seen one of the longest-standing dark web marketplaces finally taken offline. Police in Germany add that as many as 3,200 vendors are registered on Archetyp. “The comprehensive data seized is now being analyzed and provides further investigative leads,” the agency said, suggesting law enforcement will try to identify users and vendors of the dark web marketplace. The operation followed years of investigation into the platform’s network and operations. Authorities tracked financial transactions, analyzed forensic evidence and worked closely with international counterparts to uncover the individuals behind the marketplace. Over its five years of activity, the marketplace amassed over 612,000 users with a total transaction volume of over €250 million (approximately $289 million) in Monero cryptocurrency transactions.
- The site’s infrastructure, hosted in the Netherlands, was taken offline during the operation.
- Authorities tracked financial transactions, analyzed forensic evidence and worked closely with international counterparts to uncover the individuals behind the marketplace.
- Unlike some shaky darknet spots, Archetyp uses mirrors to stay solid.
- This is your guide to Archetyp Market mirrors, the backup URLs that keep you linked to the top darknet marketplace of 2025.
- The arrest followed an extensive investigation by the Central Office for Combating Internet Crime (ZIT), which tracked the platform’s operations across multiple jurisdictions.
Operation RapTor: The Largest Darknet Takedown In History
The shutdown of Archetyp, a major dark web drug market, demonstrates that law enforcement takedowns have only short-term effects, as such markets quickly re-emerge and adapt. Persistent trade and resilient user communities limit the long-term impact of these interventions. Focusing solely on dark web markets may overlook broader digital harms occurring on mainstream platforms.
Key Features
These updates are already live for weeks / months but are not that often used as we never forced people to read the announcements, which we now do. Therefore I now give a short list of functions we added within the last months, so vendors might start to use them. We added almost every requested function from /b/archetyp/requests and more, we now have signatures, profile images, a search engine, post count, comment count and a lot more. Read our posting guidelinese to learn what content is prohibited. Fill out the form to speak with our team about investigative professional services. Over the three days of action, more than 300 officers contributed to Deep Sentinel, many of which were involved in property searches across Germany and Sweden.
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We verify all links to ensure they point to the legitimate services they claim to represent. However, we cannot guarantee the safety or legitimacy of the services themselves. Always exercise caution when visiting any darknet site, use proper security practices, and never share personal information. The BKA also said 20 additional properties were searched, mainly targeting Archtetyp moderators and vendors.
‘Impersonation As A Service’ The Next Big Thing In Cybercrime
If you go by listings, Incognito Market is #1 in that regard. Beyond drugs, there are now ever-growing examples of generative AI being used for sexual deepfakes across schools and even of public figures, including the recent case of NRL presenter Tiffany Salmond. They back a $50 million ecosystem with 200,000+ listings and a tight community.
Secure transactions using Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. David Hollingworth has been writing about technology for over 20 years, and has worked for a range of print and online titles in his career. He is enjoying getting to grips with cyber security, especially when it lets him talk about Lego. Confusion swirled on dark web forums when the site went offline under the guise of “maintenance” a classic precursor to an exit scam.
Phishing Campaign Uses UpCrypter To Deploy Remote Access Tools
Before these dark web marketplaces were shutdown, they sold a range of illegal products, from drugs to firearms. According to Europol, this kind of cross-border cooperation has proven to be one of the most effective tools in targeting online criminal infrastructure. As more dark web vendors and buyers rely on anonymizing tools and cryptocurrencies, investigators are adjusting their methods, using advanced analytics and joint operations to keep pace. The enforcement action took place between 11 and 13 June, with police forces in Germany, the Netherlands, Romania, Spain, and Sweden executing a series of targeted operations.
How To Conduct A Secure Code Review – Tools And Techniques
Embrace the freedom of the darknet and protect your identity. The site may have been shut down, exit scammed, or is no longer accessible via its known onion address. We recommend avoiding any links claiming to mirror or replace it unless officially verified.
See Why DarkOwl Is The Leader In Darknet Data
You are currently viewing a placeholder content from TrustIndex. On Monday, Europol announced it had dismantled Archetyp Market, which had been around since 2020, making it one of the “most enduring” dark web drug providers, the agency said. A seizure notice has replaced the former marketplace, and a message directed at the underground economy has published. Investigations are ongoing and may lead to additional arrests or prosecutions. Authorities emphasized that cooperation across borders, combined with targeted technical expertise, played a critical role in the platform’s closure.
Daily Dose Of Dark Web Informer – 26th Of August 2025
Archetyp Market operated as a drug marketplace for over five years, amassing more than 600,000 users worldwide with a total transaction volume of at least €250 million. With over 17,000 listings, it is one of the few darknet markets that allowed the sale of fentanyl and other highly potent synthetic opioids, contributing to the growing threat posed by these substances in Europe and beyond. Archetyp Market emerged in 2020 as a major player in the darknet’s illicit drug trade, quickly gaining notoriety for its vast inventory and user base. Over five years, it became a bustling hub where over 3,200 vendors sold more than 17,000 drug listings, spanning cocaine, heroin, cannabis, MDMA, amphetamines, and highly dangerous synthetic opioids like fentanyl. With a staggering 612,000 users, the platform processed over €250 million (approximately \$289 million) in transactions, primarily in the privacy-focused Monero cryptocurrency. The digital underworld has witnessed a major blow with the recent dismantling of Archetyp Market, one of the longest-operating darknet drug markets.
Archetyp is one of only 5 markets on Dread’s Darknet Markets Superlist. Incognito Market shares the same #1/#2 market status based on the number of vendors. Archetyp is a drug only marketplace and initially began as an EU only market, but later turned into a Worldwide operation. But those of us who have studied this space for years weren’t surprised. Load balancing splits traffic across mirrors, so nothing breaks. They sync with the main database live, keeping your listings and wallet up to date.
Authorities traced finances, analyzed digital evidence, and collaborated internationally. Europol and Eurojust coordinated efforts, enabling arrests and asset seizures. It offers complete, real-time data protection against viruses, worms, spyware, Trojans, zero-day exploits, ransomware, rootkits, and other digital intrusions. Its key features include network threat prevention, behavioral detection for active apps, cryptomining protection, ransomware protection, and AI-fueled scam detection. Eurojust ensured the international investigation was efficient and effective.
In addition to drugs like cocaine, MDMA and amphetamines, Archetyp Market was known for facilitating the anonymous trade of high-risk substances, placing it alongside notorious former darknet platforms such as Silk Road and Dream Market. Furthermore, the operation highlights the evolving tactics law enforcement employs to infiltrate and dismantle these encrypted networks. Deploying 300 officers across multiple countries simultaneously is a logistical feat, reflecting a high level of international cooperation. This cooperative model could serve as a blueprint for future operations targeting other illicit darknet platforms.
When Archetyp, one of the largest and oldest dark web drug markets, was dismantled in June 2025, the authorities framed it as a ‘severe blow’ to European organized crime. But as with previous takedowns, although the platform disappeared, its users quickly dispersed and regrouped across rival markets and forums. Open-source intelligence gathered in the aftermath shows how the dark web infrastructure responded and what this reveals about its resilience. Last week, one of the dark web’s most prominent drug marketplaces – Archetyp – was shut down in an international, multi-agency law enforcement operation following years of investigations. It was touted as a major policing win and was accompanied by a slick cyberpunk-themed video.
