The deep web has always been a place that both sparks the imagination and repulses people at the same time. Given its negative coverage in the press, one would think the darknet is a Wild West of some kind. Germany’s Federal Police President Holger Munch went as far as how the deep web is “a gateway for terrorism”. This seems to indicate more German darknet vendors will get arrested in the future.
It has become apparent German law enforcement agencies are cracking down on the deep web. Although these marketplaces have a global reach, the majority of trades occur in the domestic market. Hardly anyone will be surprised to learn every country has its own underground marketplaces, and Germany is no exception.
BKA Brings The Fight To Deep Web Markets
Ever since the Munich shooting took place, there has been an increased focus on deep web activity in Germany. These marketplaces make it easy for anyone to buy or sell illegal goods and services, including narcotics and weapons. Bringing these platforms down, however, has proven to be difficult so far.
Over the past few months, several deep web vendors have been arrested. Chemical Love, one of the country’s most prominent darknet markets, was shut down entirely. Although these are all small victories, the bigger war is still undecided. There is plenty of work to be done before this “threat” is brought to its knees.
BKA President Holger Munch made a remarkable comment:
“The BKA will also step up efforts against organized crime on the Internet, which facilitates extremist bombers business. Online marketplaces in the so-called darknet would gain more and more importance.”
Despite this ongoing battle, the German federal police had not taken a particular interest in these marketplaces just yet. That situation has changed, and the BKA will start cracking down on these markets shortly. Even though it has become harder to trace organized crime cells, BKA president Munch feels confident they can and will make a difference.
In fact, it appears the BKA has taken the necessary steps to bring local organized crime to a halt. Unfortunately, these countermeasures have also increased darknet marketplace usage in Germany. Criminals have an easy alternative to conducting real-life business, as they can hide on the deep web and carry on with their day-to-day operations.
For now, the plan of action is simple and straightforward. The BKA will crack down on the deep web marketplaces facilitating organized crime. Anywhere weapons, ID cards, and credit card data is sold, will become a target for law enforcement officials. At the same time, going after these markets will only be the beginning of a larger-scale operation.
Header image courtesy of Shutterstock
