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Over 40 alleged drug dealers have been arrested as part of a sweeping federal effort dubbed “Operation Dark Gold”. The individuals worked on the dark web, some even doing side gigs as bitcoin miners. SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE
The US Justice Department of Justice called it one of “the first nationwide undercover operation targeting dark net vendors.”
Some $20 million was said to have been seized as a result of the operation.
“For the past year, undercover agents have been providing money-laundering services to these dark net vendors, specifically those involved in narcotics trafficking,” said HSI Special Agent in Charge Angel Melendez, in a press conference earlier today from New York.
"Criminals who think that they are safe on the Darknet are wrong," Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said in a statement. "We can expose their networks, and we are determined to bring them to justice."
During the early days of bitcoin, the cryptocurrency had been widely used by those lurking within the dark web. In recent years, however, the digital currency has been embraced by more legitimate industries such as online gambling. Sites like Bookmaker.eu now claim to accept some 60 plus cryptocurrencies.
Melendez says that the focus of this sting operation was to take down actual dealers as opposed to the market places, Silk Road being among the most widely known.
“When we take down a dark net marketplace, these criminals will move to other marketplaces,” Melendez said. “So the focus of this operation was really the bad actors, the people utilizing the dark net to sell drugs.”
- Jagajeet Chiba, Gambling911.com
