Crimenetwork facilitated a vast underground network of illegal activities, dealing in drugs, stolen data, and counterfeit documents.
The BKA said it recently had more than 100 registered sellers serving more than 100,000 mainly German-speaking users.
The platform was used to buy illegal goods and services, such as stolen data, narcotics, weapons, botnets, and forged documents, the BKA said – again similar to its darkweb counterparts. Buyers also paid using cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin but mainly Monero.
Between 2018 and 2024, the platform facilitated sales exceeding €90 million ($94.5 million), with admins scooping up a cut of each sale, thought to be in the region of 1-5 percent. Admins also received monthly payments from sellers for the right to list and advertise their illicit wares on the platform.
Cybercriminals often use cryptocurrencies for their anonymity and difficulty in tracing.
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