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German authorities have shut down Crimenetwork, the country's largest online criminal marketplace, resulting in the arrest of a 29-year-old suspected technical administrator. Operating since 2012, the platform facilitated the sale of illegal goods and services, including drugs, forged documents, hacking tools, and stolen data. The takedown, which involved seizing expensive vehicles and approximately €1 million in digital assets, represents a significant blow to cybercrime in the German-speaking region. Crimenetwork boasted over 100,000 users and more than 100 sellers before its closure, generating millions of dollars in cryptocurrency transactions between 2018 and 2024.

The arrested administrator is suspected of drug trafficking and is currently in custody. Police obtained extensive user and transaction data during raids, suggesting further arrests may follow. The operation highlights the ongoing global effort to combat online criminal marketplaces and underscores the significant financial gains generated by such platforms. The success of this operation, alongside recent crackdowns on similar platforms such as MATRIX and PopeyeTools, shows the increased global cooperation in combating online crime.

ImgSrc: securityaffairs

References :

• securityaffairs.com: Security Affairs' article about the shutdown of Crimenetwork.
• therecord.media: The Record's report on the arrest of Crimenetwork's administrator.
• DataBreaches.Net: News article about the shutdown of Crimenetwork.
• malware.news: Report on the takedown of Crimenetwork and the arrest of an administrator.

Classification:

• HashTags: #Crimenetwork #Cybercrime #Takedown
• Company: Crimenetwork
• Target: Crimenetwork users
• Product: Crimenetwork
• Feature: Marketplace Takedown
• Type: Hack
• Severity: Medium