Catenaa, Wednesday, June 25, 2025- Europol has dismantled Archetyp Market, one of the dark web’s longest-running illicit marketplaces, in a coordinated operation spanning six countries.
The crackdown led to the arrest of the site’s alleged German administrator in Spain, along with key vendors and moderators in Germany and Sweden.
Authorities confirmed Monday that the platform’s core infrastructure, located in the Netherlands, was seized.
The site, which operated for five years, facilitated more than €250 million ($287 million) in transactions, primarily through sales of cocaine, MDMA and fentanyl. It boasted over 600,000 users and 17,000 listings, making it one of the largest darknet markets ever shut down.
The operation marks a significant milestone in international law enforcement’s ongoing battle against dark web crime. However, experts warned the disruption may be short-lived.
Blockchain intelligence firm TRM Labs, while recognizing the success of the seizure, noted that dark web actors are increasingly migrating to decentralized, peer-to-peer platforms like Telegram and Signal. These emerging channels pose new enforcement challenges due to their encryption, anonymity and speed.
The market’s reliance on Monero, a privacy-focused cryptocurrency, further complicated investigators’ efforts.
Europol credited years of crypto-tracing and financial surveillance for the takedown’s success.
The bust follows earlier high-profile actions, including the 2022 Hydra Market takedown and the June seizure of $24 million in crypto linked to Qakbot malware.
TRM Labs said law enforcement must now shift to real-time blockchain monitoring and transnational coordination to stay ahead of future threats.
