The National Police have arrested the alleged administrator of CrimeNetwork in Calviá (Mallorca), a criminal platform hosted on the dark web that offered illicit goods and services to thousands of users under the model known as Crime as a Service.
In 2023, investigations began following a cooperation request issued by the authorities of the German state of Baden-Württemberg with the purpose of locating a German citizen suspected of administering CrimeNetwork. This platform is considered one of the main German-speaking illicit trade communities on the darknet.
The investigation of Operation Palmar determined that the suspect resided in Mallorca. The investigated individual adopted various security measures to hinder tracking, such as multiple changes of residence. However, the agents managed to maintain control of the operation.
Extensive catalog of illicit activities
The platform only operated through the TOR network and offered an extensive catalog of illicit activities such as the sale of drugs, falsified documents, stolen banking data, phishing tools, and kits. Illegal access to various digital services could also be acquired.
CrimeNetwork had developed as the successor to an illicit trade platform of the same name, which was shut down on February 12, 2024, in an operation conducted by the German Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) and the Frankfurt Minor Public Prosecutor’s Office. It now had over 100,000 registered users.
It operated through an escrow system, where the administrators acted as intermediaries for transactions made in cryptocurrencies, receiving commissions for each completed operation.
Two searches in Mallorca
The technical interventions carried out within the framework of the European Investigation Order led the agents to conduct two searches in properties linked to the investigated individual in Mallorca. During the searches, numerous computer devices were seized.
The operation involved members of the National Police, the German Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), and the Baden-Württemberg State Police.
International cooperation
Simultaneously, the German authorities conducted three searches in their country, resulting in the arrest of four individuals allegedly related to the investigated criminal activity.
As a result of the joint operation, the server hosting CrimeNetwork was blocked, subsequently redirecting traffic to a page controlled by the German authorities, displaying an explanatory video about the development of the operation as a measure of awareness and prevention against cybercrime. Following his arrest, the detainee was brought before the judicial authorities. Subsequently, the competent judicial authority ordered his imprisonment.
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