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[Aiii]

Source: https://www.politie.nl/en/news/2017/july/20/underground-hansa-market-taken-over-and-shut-down.html

Nederland - As part of an extensive international investigation, the Netherlands Police and the Public Prosecution Service have dismantled, seized control of, and shut down one of the biggest illegal market places on the internet today. It is Hansa Market, currently the most popular dark market in the ‘anonymous' part of the internet, the so-called darknet.

Darkweb
The investigation in question is being carried out in close cooperation with the police and judicial authorities in Germany, Lithuania, and the United States, and also with Europol. This week, a Hansa top-seller was arrested in Krimpen aan den IJssel, the Netherlands. Accounts with a total of more than 1,000 bitcoins, representing a value of some two million euros, were seized. The bitcoins were transferred to an account of the Public Prosecution Service.

Undercover operation
The fall of Hansa Market is the final step of an undercover operation in which the Netherlands police seized control of the illegal market place in June of this year. This was made possible by the arrest of the two administrators of Hansa Market in Germany, aged 30 and 31. Since their arrest, the two men, from Siegen, NorthRhine-Westphalia, have been kept in pre-trial detention, and are only allowed to have contact with their lawyers.

...
Lithuania
It emerged that the underground market place was hosted on servers in Lithuania. Immediately after the arrest of the administrators, these servers and their corresponding infrastructure were seized and an exact copy of the market place was transferred to Dutch servers. Buyers and sellers could still access the darknet site, but without realizing the police and the public prosecution service in the Netherlands had seized control of Hansa.
Since the end of June, the High Tech Crime Team and the Darkweb Team of the police and the Public Prosecution Service have gained insight into large numbers of sellers and buyers, who traded chiefly in hard drugs. The usernames and passwords were intercepted. On average, 1,000 orders per day were placed in response to almost 40,000 advertisements. Last year, Hansa Market had 1,765 different sellers. Since the authorities seized control of Hansa Market there have been more than 50,000 transactions, mainly involving soft drugs and hard drugs.

Intercepted orders
In the past weeks, the police have intercepted tens of thousands of non-encrypted messages between sellers and buyers about orders. They were also able to identify the delivery address for a large number of orders. Some 10,000 foreign addresses of Hansa Market buyers were passed on to Europol. More than 500 Dutch delivery addresses were reported to couriers and postal services with the intention of stopping the deliveries.

So much for anonymity on the TOR network.

Love the sinking pirateship image they put up after they closed it:

 

[Steeped in a Sea of Games]

So, how did they seize those bitcoin accounts?

 

[Aiii]

So, how did they seize those bitcoin accounts?

They had full access to everyone's account data, including usernames and passwords, as well as access to all messages send (this would include bitcoin accounts).

 

[Widdle Puppy]

Narcs are overfunded if they have the resources to do this.

 

[Westbahnhof]

10,000 foreign addresses of Hansa Market buyers were passed on to Europol. More than 500 Dutch delivery addresses were reported to couriers and postal services with the intention of stopping the deliveries.

Heh.
I wonder how many people will actually get into trouble, but I'd be freaking out as a customer.

 

[Damaniel]

If buying and selling drugs are so bad, then why would an official government not only allow it to happen unimpeded for weeks, but enable it directly by running the site themselves? They found the servers and were in a position to be able to shut them down - that seems like enough to me.

 

[Aiii]

If buying and selling drugs are so bad, then why would an official government not only allow it to happen unimpeded for weeks, but enable it directly by running the site themselves? They found the servers and were in a position to be able to shut them down - that seems like enough to me.

Come on, you know the answer to this.

 

[Westbahnhof]

If buying and selling drugs are so bad, then why would an official government not only allow it to happen unimpeded for weeks, but enable it directly by running the site themselves? They found the servers and were in a position to be able to shut them down - that seems like enough to me.

Isn't it.. To catch more people?

 

[HStallion]

If buying and selling drugs are so bad, then why would an official government not only allow it to happen unimpeded for weeks, but enable it directly by running the site themselves? They found the servers and were in a position to be able to shut them down - that seems like enough to me.

They were just trying to recreate Hamsterdam from The Wire

 

[Fuchsdh]

If buying and selling drugs are so bad, then why would an official government not only allow it to happen unimpeded for weeks, but enable it directly by running the site themselves? They found the servers and were in a position to be able to shut them down - that seems like enough to me.

Taken to its logical conclusion, the police should never act to catch more perpetrators versus immediate effects. So you're presumably against most police methods at finding pedophiles?

 

[Enter The 36 Chambers]

Of course all these resources poured into stopping people getting high 🙄

Should have stopped some actual crimes with this money instead.

 

[Westbahnhof]

Of course all these resources poured into stopping people getting high 🙄

Should have stopped some actual crimes with this money instead.

I mean, I agree that many/most countries are totally over the top when it comes to drug warfare, but you can't act like wanting to stop hard drugs is just because they don't enjoy people getting high.

 

[Kaako]

I wish they use them resources specifically to target child pornography TOR sites/users and shit like that. Drugs are the least of my worries in a system that is designed for the black market to flourish.

 

[Acorn]

Wow, I'd be scared if I bought drugs there recently. So many people could be convicted.

 

[demosthenes]

I wish they use them resources specifically to target child pornography TOR sites/users and shit like that. Drugs are the least of my worries in a system that is designed for the black market to flourish.

Because agencies can't be investigating multiple things at once.

 

[Westbahnhof]

I wish they use them resources specifically to target child pornography TOR sites/users and shit like that. Drugs are the least of my worries in a system that is designed for the black market to flourish.

They did it because there was an opportunity, following the arrest and seizure.
I'm sure they'd love to do this for child pornography as well.

 

[Skellig Gra]

Of course all these resources poured into stopping people getting high 🙄

Should have stopped some actual crimes with this money instead.

Holland is pretty crime free as it is. So I'll allow it.

 

[Enter The 36 Chambers]

I mean, I agree that many/most countries are totally over the top when it comes to drug warfare, but you can't act like wanting to stop hard drugs is just because they don't enjoy people getting high.

It's as good as in my book. There's all sorts of child porn, people trafficing going on the dark web and drugs are the target and use of resources?

I phrased it poorly but you get my point. Drugs should be the least fucking priority especially on the dark web. Don't they sell weapons on there too?

 

[HeySeuss]

If buying and selling drugs are so bad, then why would an official government not only allow it to happen unimpeded for weeks, but enable it directly by running the site themselves? They found the servers and were in a position to be able to shut them down - that seems like enough to me.

I wish they use them resources specifically to target child pornography TOR sites/users and shit like that. Drugs are the least of my worries in a system that is designed for the black market to flourish.

There are dumb comments, and then there are comments like these two that further expand the definition of the word

 

[Westbahnhof]

It's as good as in my book. There's all sorts of child porn, people trafficing going on the dark web and drugs are the target and use of resources?

I phrased it poorly but you get my point. Drugs should be the least fucking priority especially on the dark web. Don't they sell weapons on there too?

In my eyes, they just saw a rare opportunity with the servers. I doubt they had to choose between this and doing the same for worse crimes.

 

[Ethranes]

Never understood GAF's love of drug use. This is a good win for the police, good on them

 

[Crayons]

wow

I'm hearing alphabay was taken down too

 

[Daedardus]

Of course all these resources poured into stopping people getting high 🙄

Should have stopped some actual crimes with this money instead.

These are all hard drugs, stuff that makes people highly addicted, destroys their bodies, makes them overdose all while funding an underground crime scene of production and distribution. It's not like this is comparable to weed, since that's legal in the Netherlands.

 

[Kthulhu]

Never understood GAF's love of drug use. This is a good win for the police, good on them

People that aren't hurting anyone should be allowed to put whatever they want in their body.

No to mention the war on drugs doesn't stop people from taking them, and hurts minority groups and poor communities.

 

[Skellig Gra]

People that aren't hurting anyone should be allowed to put whatever they want in their body.

No to mention the war on drugs doesn't stop people from taking them, and hurts minority groups and poor communities.

They shouldn't punish basic users but the people running the drug ring should be punished. They are committing multiple crimes.

 

[Oberon]

People that aren't hurting anyone should be allowed to put whatever they want in their body.

No to mention the war on drugs doesn't stop people from taking them, and hurts minority groups and poor communities.

Because taking hard drugs has never hurt anyone, or the people around them.
And you do realise there are other countries than Americam, right?

 

[Aiii]

They shouldn't punish basic users but the people running the drug ring should be punished. They are committing multiple crimes.

Guess why they wanted to run a drug marketplace for a while. Small hint, it was not to go after the small time buyers.

 

[monchi-kun]

Of course all these resources poured into stopping people getting high 🙄

Should have stopped some actual crimes with this money instead.

Hard drugs, human trafficking, and other serious "organized crime" level activities are probably bedfellows.

 

[Alpende]

People that aren't hurting anyone should be allowed to put whatever they want in their body.

No to mention the war on drugs doesn't stop people from taking them, and hurts minority groups and poor communities.

Well, I kind of agree with you however you could also say, and I'm exaggerating here, that if you have more drug abusers / addicts than necessary you also need to provide these people with health care. And that costs a lot of money which the general population has to pay for.

 

[blame space]

Hard drugs, human trafficking, and other serious "organized crime" level activities are probably bedfellows.

because drugs are illegal like those other things.

 

[Akuun]

These are all hard drugs, stuff that makes people highly addicted, destroys their bodies, makes them overdose all while funding an underground crime scene of production and distribution. It's not like this is comparable to weed, since that's legal in the Netherlands.

Yep. People destroy their lives and families due to addiction, and it leads to widespread suffering and death by neglect, ODs, turning to more dangerous drugs once they run out of money, and so on. People distributing the drugs will kill to protect themselves or keep their businesses going. Going "the police are stopping people from enjoying life!" is an extreme oversimplification of the matter.

Remember the Silkroad guy? People on this forum argued that he didn't do anything wrong with creating a drug distribution channel either, until it was revealed that he a) didn't care when people ODed on shady stuff bought on his channel, and b) ordered hits on people to keep his business going.

 

[HStallion]

Never understood GAF's love of drug use. This is a good win for the police, good on them

GAF? Yeah only GAF likes using drugs.

 

[Kaako]

Because agencies can't be investigating multiple things at once.

I get this but I'm wondering if they utilize the same resources/budget/priority when it comes to other crimes where maybe there are not millions/billions of currency at stake? Didn't mean to come off as this is a bad thing. Just questioning priorities based on news stories breaking out with these dark net busts. Most seem to be drug marketplaces where there is mad money involved(?)

Edit: And no doubt the people who run sites like these are some of the most shadiest people out there and will do anything to protect their asset.

 

[Aiii]

Hard drugs does not grow on trees guys. Serious criminal activity is required to produce the stuff before it can be sold.

There are perfectly legal ways to get a good high in the Netherlands, as you all well know.

 

[MThanded]

A lot of people are surely running scared now.

 

[Harmen]

Seems like an impressive operation, hopefully the data they gathered can be used to roll up some big black market organisations.

Of course all these resources poured into stopping people getting high 🙄

I doubt our police department is that interested in stopping people from being high. It is The Netherlands.

 

[Kthulhu]

They shouldn't punish basic users but the people running the drug ring should be punished. They are committing multiple crimes.

If they're doing something other than selling the stuff, sure.

Because taking hard drugs has never hurt anyone, or the people around them.
And you do realise there are other countries than Americam, right?

Drinking alcohol or smoking cigarettes never hurt anyone or the people around them. /S

If you're taking drugs responsibly then the government should leave you alone.

Not to mention most of the people continually taking hard drugs like meth and heroin are addicts that need help.

 

[Boney]

I'm not sure if people here are being intentionally disingineous regarding addiction and pushers and the disastrous effects drug economy has on communities.

 

[Jeremy]

Glad to see the forum still swings hard right in some areas.

We're looping back to a new War on Drugs, except it's moral this time

 

[BrassDragon]

Of course all these resources poured into stopping people getting high 🙄

Should have stopped some actual crimes with this money instead.

We are doing just that. You only hear about this stuff in the very last stage of the operation.

 

[Alter_Fridge]

Hard drugs does not grow on trees guys. Serious criminal activity is required to produce the stuff before it can be sold.

There are perfectly legal ways to get a good high in the Netherlands, as you all well know.

Weed high does not = the high from amphetamines

 

[Armaros]

I'm not sure if people here are being intentionally disingineous regarding addiction and pushers and the disastrous effects drug economy has on communities.

Apparently Breaking Bad was a model to follow instead of showing how violent and deadly the drug underworld can be.

 

[Daedardus]

People that aren't hurting anyone should be allowed to put whatever they want in their body.

No to mention the war on drugs doesn't stop people from taking them, and hurts minority groups and poor communities.

There's a difference between one single user trying out something once, compared to a whole organised cartel trying to make people addicted and selling them stuff that's absolutely damaging to their bodies in an even not-so-long-term. We expect the government to protect us from harmful nuclear radiation and the dumping of toxic waste, yet we prefer to stuff ourselves full of worse shit?

There's something to say that a hard war on drugs isn't the best option (actually prevention should be prefered), but doing nothing certainly hurts minorities and poor communities as well. They're the ones most easily exploited.

 

[Aiii]

Weed high does not = the high from amphetamines

Good.

 

[Alter_Fridge]

There's a difference between one single user trying out something once, compared to a whole organised cartel trying to make people addicted and selling them stuff that's absolutely damaging to their bodies in an even not-so-long-term. We expect the government to protect us from harmful nuclear radiation and the dumping of toxic waste, yet we prefer to stuff ourselves full of worse shit?

There's something to say that a hard war on drugs isn't the best option (actually prevention should be prefered), but doing nothing certainly hurts minorities and poor communities as well. They're the ones most easily exploited.

Still if you stop demand...

 

[Velocity:Design:Comfort]

I'm not sure if people here are being intentionally disingineous regarding addiction and pushers and the disastrous effects drug economy has on communities.

Yeah because doing this has totally been effective until this point. Harsh laws have really eliminated drug use and black market crime huh?

 

[Kthulhu]

Well, I kind of agree with you however you could also say, and I'm exaggerating here, that if you have more drug abusers / addicts than necessary you also need to provide these people with health care. And that costs a lot of money which the general population has to pay for.

So should the government lock people up instead of trying to help addicts?

Most heroin addicts got addicted thanks to legal painkillers that were prescribed to them.

 

[Rktk]

Of the big markets that leaves Dream Market and... not much else... I guess they are next.

Wow, I'd be scared if I bought drugs there recently. So many people could be convicted.

I doubt it, big sellers should worry, but the main aim is to shut them down arrest admins and seize funds.

 

[Alter_Fridge]

Good.

What does this mean

 

[zeemumu]

27 Days Later