More than 373,000 dark web sites have been shut down in a global operation led by German authorities and supported by Europol. The investigation against the platform Alice with Violence CP began in 2021. Since then, authorities detected that the operator managed fraudulent websites advertising child sexual abuse material and offers of cybercrime as a service.
From March 9 to 19, 23 countries joined forces in Operation Alice, initially only targeting the platform’s operator. But international cooperation allowed for the discovery of the identity of 440 clients.
Results
At the time of this publication, the results of the operation are as follows:
- 1 operator identified who ran the platform on the dark web.
- 440 clients identified worldwide.
- More than 373,000 dark web sites shut down.
- 105 servers seized.
- Electronic devices seized, such as computers, mobile phones, and electronic data storage devices.
A web of fraudulent sites
The five years of investigations by German authorities bore fruit after it was discovered that a single individual operated more than 373,000 .onion domains on the dark web. An onion domain is a special type of address designed to hide the identity and location of both the site and its visitors.
Throughout the investigation, the suspect advertised child sexual abuse material on various platforms accessible through more than 90,000 of those domains. These sites offered content supposedly available for purchase in packages after providing an email address and making a payment in Bitcoin. Each package had an estimated cost of between 17 and 215 euros and promised data volumes ranging from a few gigabytes to several terabytes. However, these were fraudulent sites where the material was offered but never delivered.
Cybercrime services were also promoted, including credit card data and access to foreign systems. The aim was always to persuade clients to make payments without receiving any service in return.
Resident in China
The investigations also targeted the platform’s operator, a 35-year-old man residing in the People’s Republic of China. Authorities estimate that the individual obtained more than 345,000 euros in profits from approximately 10,000 clients worldwide who attempted to purchase the advertised material. At its peak, he operated a network of up to 287 servers, of which 105 were in Germany. An international arrest warrant has been issued against him.
By paying for child abuse material, the clients themselves became suspects, despite never having received the material. Investigators consider that individuals seeking this content may represent high-value targets and provide crucial intelligence for global law enforcement.
During the years of investigation, authorities acted immediately whenever they identified children at risk. For example, in August 2023, Bavarian police searched the home of a 31-year-old father who had transferred 20 euros to buy a 70 GB package of content. The man was subsequently convicted.
Europol
Europol facilitated the exchange of information, provided analytical support, and coordinated the international response. It also played a key role in tracing cryptocurrency payments. Among the 23 countries participating in the operation were Spain, Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, Mexico, Canada, and Australia.
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