Authorities across Europe have shut down Archetyp Market, the longest-running dark web drug marketplace, in a major joint operation supported by Europol and Eurojust.
The operation took place between June 11 and 13, targeting key people behind the platform and its infrastructure in six countries: Germany, the Netherlands, Romania, Spain, Sweden, and the United States.
More than 300 officers were involved in the action. The site’s main administrator, a 30-year-old German citizen, was arrested in Barcelona, Spain. At the same time, law enforcement in Germany and Sweden arrested one moderator and six top vendors linked to the site. The technical infrastructure in the Netherlands was taken offline, and authorities seized assets worth €7.8 million.
Archetyp Market had been operating for over five years and had more than 600,000 users globally. It allowed the sale of dangerous illegal drugs, including fentanyl, synthetic opioids, cocaine, MDMA, and amphetamines. The platform processed transactions worth at least €250 million. Due to its scale and long run, it was known in the dark web community alongside other major markets like Silk Road and Dream Market.
Officials say the takedown is the result of years of investigative work. Authorities were able to map the platform’s system, trace financial flows, and collect digital evidence. Europol played a key role by organizing coordination meetings and helping countries exchange critical information. Eurojust supported legal cooperation between the involved countries during both the investigation and the operation days.
A seizure banner has been placed on the Archetyp Market’s homepage, and a video message targeting the underground community has been published. More details are available at www.operation-deepsentinel.com.
The agencies involved include Germany’s Cyber Crime Centre and Federal Criminal Police Office, the national police forces of the Netherlands, Romania, Spain, and Sweden, as well as U.S. agencies like Homeland Security Investigations, IRS-Criminal Investigation, and the Department of Justice. Europol and Eurojust provided key coordination support.
This marks another significant win for law enforcement against dark web drug networks.
