Ukraine is a country known for many different things. Not only is it a great place to visit as a tourist, but they also have a booming freelance sector. Unfortunately, many Ukrainians are drawn to the deep web to conduct illegal trades. One of the country’s largest internet drug operations has been shut down by law enforcement officials.
Major Ukraine Deep Web Drug Bust
It appears as if law enforcement agents are closing several darknet drug operations every single day these days. That is a somewhat positive trend, though, as online drug trafficking is a serious concern. All of this also goes to show relying on Bitcoin to stay anonymous is insufficient, primarily because the cryptocurrency lacks privacy and anonymity traits, to begin with.
As a result of this deep web drug investigation, police officials raided several locations throughout Ukraine. Multiple individuals were arrested in Kiev, and it appears the drug ring operator, organizer, and several traffickers have been put behind bars. However, no one knows if this means all of the people involved in this “cartel” have been arrested.
As one expects from deep web sales these days, everything was taken care of in a professional manner. Customers could purchase various types of narcotics, including ecstasy, synthetic cannabis, and psychotropic substances. Shipments were mostly made to domestic clients, although it is possible the group was active on an international level as well.
During the raid, police officials seized close to US$20,000 in narcotics, as well as various office equipment and computers. Interestingly enough, the group had a paper trail of all of their activity and sales, which will only lead to much more severe jail sentences. Speaking of which, it is expected all arrested individuals will face up to twelve years in prison.
At this time, it is unknown how long the group has been active. Since their sales were advertised both online and offline, it is expected they knew the ropes of the business all too well. Advertising illegal drug sales through posters on walls in the main Ukrainian cities may not have been the best course of action, though.
Bitcoin is the preferred method of payment for darknet vendors all over the world. Once the payments were received, funds were converted to UAH and then transferred to bank accounts. Communication between buyers and sellers occurred through Telegram, Skype, Viber, and other popular online platforms.
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