We have had news stories before about international law enforcement agencies banding together to take down websites that deal in illicit goods or counterfeit merchandise. Yesterday the U.S, Canada and European agencies made another round of takedowns, the difference this time is that they hit the “Dark Web” websites using stuff like the onion router or TOR.
USA Today covered the story:
Police in 17 countries arrested at least 17 website administrators, vendors and cybercriminals as part of the operation that targeted cyber storefronts where vendors put illegal goods on display much like Amazon or eBay sell legal goods.
One European official was quoted as saying, “We are not just removing these services from the open Internet,” he said. “This time we have also hit services on the Darknet using TOR, where, for a long time, criminals have considered themselves beyond reach. We can now show that they are neither invisible nor untouchable.”
The administrator on DeepDotWeb made the remark, “No doubt that the 6th of November 2014 will be remembered as one the darkest days in the Dark Net Markets history,” the site’s administrator wrote, noting that at least four sites had been seized.
Read more on USA Today
